Category Archives: Picture book

Dec26

What Colour is your Mosque? By Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Aybüke B. Mumcu, Damla Koçak,  Fatma Betül Akbal, Gökhan Özdemir, Gülşah Irmak, Hümeyra Yorgancı, M. Ahmet Demir, Menekşe Özdemir, Özlem Güneş, Şüheda Başer Yılgör, Zeynep Alptekin, Zeynep Begüm Şen  

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What Colour is your Mosque? By Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Aybüke B. Mumcu, Damla Koçak,  Fatma Betül Akbal, Gökhan Özdemir, Gülşah Irmak, Hümeyra Yorgancı, M. Ahmet Demir, Menekşe Özdemir, Özlem Güneş, Şüheda Başer Yılgör, Zeynep Alptekin, Zeynep Begüm Şen  

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Sometimes the idea and presentation of a book make it stand out even if the writing is a bit bland and erroneous.  This book with bright colorful illustrations from 12 different illustrators highlighting the bold colors and designs of 12 masjids around the world is one such book for me.  I think young children will delight in seeing such beautiful masjids and appreciate that Muslims are found all over the world.  Adults and older children will also learn about mosques I’m sure they had never heard of before.  I kind of wish the book was a board book for little hands learning colors to enjoy, but the 8.5 x 8.5 style does suffice for story time and bedtime. 

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The book starts with an introduction to the author, Jenny and her sharing her favorite mosque in Turkey, Hagia Sophia. Each two page spread after that is a child introducing themselves, telling where they are from, and sharing their favorite mosque in their home country.  From Sri Lanka’s Jami Ul Alfar that looks like candy to the purple lights of Mohammed Al Ameen Mosque in Oman.  Some masjids stand out for their colors, others for their 99 domes, and some look like castles or are built out of mud.

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The illustrations reflect the beautiful buildings and radiate with joy from the smiling children introducing them.  I think the text is translated from Turkish to English which might account for some of the errors, but spelling Kabbah with two b’s doesn’t seem right in any language. 

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Despite it all, I’m happy with the book, I think we need to make a more intentional point to instill a sense of global community in our children and celebrate the beauty that our architecture and culture can result in for the worship of Allah swt.

The book is available from here from Crescent Moon Store.

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Dec12

“Granny, Where Does Allah Live?” by Yasmin Kamal illustrated by Citra Lani

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“Granny, Where Does Allah Live?” by Yasmin Kamal illustrated by Citra Lani

 

This 32 page picture book for 3-6 year olds takes readers and listeners on a car ride with Granny as questions are asked, sights are seen, and love is spread.  The rhyme is actually pretty decent, the explanation of Allah swt being on a throne above us wherever we are adhered to, and the illustrations are bright, bold, and have a lot to hold little one’s interest.  Overall, the banter between the kids and their Granny, the drive to the mosque being filled with joy and love, make me overlook a lot of little annoyances.  The book packs a lot in, but the voice and tone is easy and I think most kids will see the connection of asking where Allah is, to asking why we have to go to the mosque, to why it is important to talk to Allah swt in our prayers, etc., as a way to have their own questions touched upon.  I do wish the book was a little bigger and perhaps hardbound, to make story time sharing a possibility, the book is 7.5 x 7.5, so good for little hands and sufficient for in lap reading.  The book concludes with three activities that incorporate a few of Allah’s beautiful names.

The book starts out with a young boy and girl excited to be spending the day with their Granny and going on a ride in her special car.  No idea why it is special, but it is purple and has flowers painted on it, so lets go! The kids love to ask Granny questions when they drive.  So after saying bismillah, they wonder why people don’t have tails or shells on their backs, or where they are going, or if they can have ice creams. 

As they head to the mosque to meet Grandad  they wonder if that is where Allah (swt) lives.  Granny tells them no, so they ask if He lives in the sky, when she says no, they wonder about in the trees or in the sea.  Finally she says that they “don’t have to go anywhere to find Allah, His throne is above us where ever we are.”

She then details how we can be reminded of Allah in things around us, nature, animals, land formations and then tells the children Allah is the most generous friend and it is important to talk to Him in our prayers. The children ask what we can tell Him, and Granny shares that we can tell Him everything and anything because He always hears.

Granny then explains that when we do good, we make Allah swt happy and when we aren’t nice we make him sad.  So then the kids want to know why we have to go to the mosque, Granny replies, to be part of a community.

The book is a string of questions, so it doesn’t come across as overly preachy, even though it is Islamic fiction, and the voice is natural.  It sounds like a conversation a grandma and some kids would have, I’m guessing the book was spawned by some real life experiences.  My kids and my mom definitely have this relationship.

 All this though, isn’t too say the book is perfect.  If  you read my reviews, you know there is always going to be a little nudge to try and elevate it from my perspective for the next go round. So with that in mind, the book does read a little long, the tangents get a little away from the simple articulate answer of stressing where Allah swt is, the text runs over the pictures a few too many times, and the people praying are not foot-to-foot shoulder-to-shoulder.  There are no salutations, saw, or asterisks after Allah. The word Jummah is not used although they are going to the mosque on Friday and a lot of people are gathering in the day, and the word mosque is used, not masjid.

The pictures are fun and will appeal to kids, especially when the car goes all magic school bus and starts flying, and going underwater.  I hope this is the first book in the series as it really does have potential to present answers to kids questions in a joyful colorful way.

Book available on Amazon 

 

Dec9

A Sense of Gratitude: Exploring the Five Senses by Halimah Bashir illustrated by Laila Ramadhani

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A Sense of Gratitude: Exploring the Five Senses by Halimah Bashir illustrated by Laila Ramadhani

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As a story time host for littles, you always need books about the five senses.  Additionally as a story reader at an Islamic school, thanking Allah swt while talking about your senses and the world around us is a staple year after year.  So purchasing this book with large adorable pictures and claims of rhyme was an easy decision to make, and while it will get used, sigh, the rhyme and lacking rhythm is terrible.  There’s also frequent illogical sentence structures and a bizarre tangent- two pages on wafting.  The book is for toddlers through kindergarteners, not kids learning experiment safety protocols.  @muslimkidsbooknook did a wonderful Instagram post regarding rhyme in kid’s books, and this book really would have benefitted from some additional editing and outside eyes reading the book aloud repeatedly.  That being said, the book will still be used and will be enjoyed with real time editing.  A positive about the book, in addition to the illustrations, is Allah (swt) in Arabic script.  But overall, it really could have, and should have been so much better.

The book starts with a note to grown ups reminding them to stress the importance of being grateful and exploring God’s creation.  It starts with what eyes can be used for, stressing the beauty in nature. and moves to the nose, and has the pages on wafting chemicals, enjoying baked goods, and saying please pardon when passing bad smells.

Tongue is next and stresses that sweets are not nutritious, and then assumes that veggies and fruits are unliked by children, but the narrator admits that they enjoy consuming them.  Hands and skin- touch and feel, and also convey love.  As an FYI- the text states and illustrations show kids petting a dog. The final sense of ears and the gift of hearing wraps up the book.

I’m terrible at grammar, really bad, but even I know not to say “colors like purple,” it should be colors “such as” purple, not “smells like Teta’s baked cookies,” but smells “such as” Teta’s baked cookies.  The formatting on a spread seems off as well with “Like slimy frogs” being under a a two line refrain and the rest of the sentence, “and hairy dogs…” being on the next page with another line and a half, it throws you off when reading aloud to keep some rhyme and rhythm going, every. single. time. On some pages the chopping of normal speech structure to make the “rhyme” is difficult to understand, and I don’t think the glossary, nor putting (God) in English was particularly necessary.

My favorite pages are when they tie directly back to ibadah and Islam, hearing the athan, using your hands to make dua and the little rhyme that starts and concludes the book. Truly the concept makes the book important on a shelf and the illustrations make it attractive, the text needs some editing.

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Nov25

Iman’s Sunnah Adventures: Mama Once Told Me by Sharifah Huseinah Madihid illustrated by Lakhaula S. Aulia

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Iman’s Sunnah Adventures: Mama Once Told Me by Sharifah Huseinah Madihid illustrated by Lakhaula S. Aulia

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This adorable 36 page board book had me laughing as a mom watching the increasing exasperation and dishevelment of the poor mother in the book page after page.  The book focuses on the sunnahs of welcoming guests, but the interpretations are the efforts and understandings of a small child being overly helpful, and the toll it takes on his parents.  The humor, the presentation, the introduction to various sunnahs is well done for little ones and their caregivers alike.  The book has not released yet, I viewed an e-version and I’m assuming the final spread is a lift the flap review of sunnahs.  Nothing is sourced, and salutations on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are denoted by an asterisk throughout the book with a footnote at the end.  There are two books in the series and both share sunnahs, humor, and the main character Iman.

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The book starts with Iman feeling bored as his parents prepare for the arrival of guests.  Iman then remembers something Mama once told me (him), “That the Prophet* said cleanliness is half of eeman…” and with that the little one is off to help clean. Bubbles and more mess later, Iman is proud of himself and his parents are shocked and the bigger mess that greets them.

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Up next is recalling that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ “would make a special seat to honor his guests” and Iman decides that glitter will be a great way to fulfill that sunnah.  When Iman is sent to get himself ready, more fulfillment occurs until Mama is exhausted and Iman finds a way to fulfill the sunnah of making his parents happy.

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The book might be a little above level of a toddler, but I think the silliness makes it a great introduction to sunnahs and will be a joy to read over and over again.

For more information about availability you can check the publisher’s website

Nov21

My Garden Over Gaza by Sarah Musa illustrated by Saffia Bazlamit

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My Garden Over Gaza by Sarah Musa illustrated by Saffia Bazlamit

This book is hard to read, it hurts the heart, it doesn’t let you claim ignorance regarding the plight of Palestinians, and it shows cruelty,  a specific inexcusable cruelty, in a children’s book that will haunt you and infuriate you for weeks and months, if not indefinitely.  I’ve read a number of Palestine set books, but this one, in its simplicity, leaves me raw.  A child with a rooftop garden that helps feed her family is deliberately targeted by Israeli drones and destroyed.  This isn’t science fiction or dystopian, this is based on real acts.  The book itself threads in themes of hope, of not giving up, of remembering strength of a lost parent, of vowing to move forwards, but the catalyst for it all is not happenstance, and while the details of the occupation and oppression are not stressed and articulated, they are referenced and skillfully present to be discussed with children on their level with the included backmatter at the end.  This book is powerful and should be required reading. It is a difficult read and it has flags, but it is also a glimpse of the reality of our world, and the manner in which this book is told allows for the discussion to taken place with middle grade readers and up. The book is not text heavy, but the nature of the content makes me suggest it for mature children.

Noura, a young girl, is in her home in Gaza when drones are seen just out the window and she quickly pulls her little brother Esam away to safety.  To distract him she tells him about their father and his farm that he used to have in Umm An-Naser.  She explains how the wall cut them off from their land and when the drone noises fade, she takes him up to her rooftop garden to pick green beans.  Their mama works downstairs as a seamstress, and while they wish they had meat, the garden helps them have fresh vegetables.

The next day after Noura gets her little brother ready for the day they head to the roof, but drones arrive and start spraying chemicals on the growing plants, killing them, and sending Noura gasping to breathe.  She tries to cover the plants and swing a shovel at the drone, but it does little to save any of the food and Noura is devastated.

Noura’s mama reassures her daughter that the food can be regrown, but she is irreplaceable, as Noura goes to scrub the chemicals from her skin.  The frustration is real, but determination prevails as the family cleans the garden and begins again, just as their father did.

The last two page spread of the book is a basic map, general touchstones of the situation in Palestine, and the very real drones that fly in to Gaza to surveil, attack, and spray herbicides on crops. You can purchase a copy on the publisher’s website or HERE at Crescent Moon Store.

Nov14

Basking in My Brown by Fatima Faisal illustrated by Anain Shaikh

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Basking in My Brown by Fatima Faisal illustrated by Anain Shaikh

This picture book celebrating brown skin, particularly in girls, and specifically from a Desi culture point of view, takes on the notion of dark brown skin not being as ideal as compared to lighter skin.  If this is not a concept you are familiar with, I don’t think that the book will hit home, but as someone who has heard this refrain of staying out of the sun to not get darker since childhood, aimed at my friends and cousins (I turn red and burn in the sun), I do appreciate this owning and pushing back on a ridiculous colorist mindset. I don’t love the “magic” diction choice, and there is nothing Islamic in the book, save some covered heads that could be religiously inspired, or culturally, or even weather related, and I’m not sure if the author or illustrator identify as Muslim, but I’m sharing anyway because I know young Pakistani girls particularly, hear this colonial mindset messaging still, and I support undermining it.  This book is not about systemic oppression and racism and taking up space, this book is internal cultural acknowledgement of a pointless beauty notion.

A young girl begins the book telling of things she loves: trips to Pakistan to fly kites with her Dada, her mother’s dinner parties, swimming, climbing trees, but most of all she loves basking in the sun.  One day while playing with her friend Zoya in the warm sun, Zoya abruptly says she should go in before she gets too dark.  The protagonist counters that she loves all the shades her beautiful brown turns and equates it to magic.

She holds out her hand to show her magical brown skin shimmering, and connects the beautiful brown to the brown clay pot her Nani used to carry water in, the brown shawl her mother wore when coming to a new home, the brown of the henna her sister puts on, etc..  She says her brown skin has its own story of being proud, brave, courageous, soft, sweet, and fearless.

Zoya decides she likes the magic and decides to stay and bask in the sun. The author on the final spread raches out to brown girls to own, embrace, and celebrate their brown skin.

Nov7

Elephant’s Makeover by Rukhsana Khan illustrated by Ikram Syed

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Elephant’s Makeover by Rukhsana Khan illustrated by Ikram Syed

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I absolutely respect and appreciate Rukhsana Khan and even my least favorite Ruqaya’s Bookshelf published book is still a good quality book, so I preordered this with such giddy delight.  And yet, when I read it the first time, I didn’t get it.  I put it away, pulled it out again weeks later and still wasn’t feeling it, I repeated this process over and over, and finally, I’ve resolved what I’ve always known: that it is ok not to love a book.  It doesn’t mean I don’t still love and respect everyone involved, but alas, it just didn’t appeal to me.  So, as always, I’m accountable for my thoughts and my thoughts only and you are free to disagree and argue with me, it isn’t personal, and I will try and point out good and problematic elements so that you can make your own decisions based on your preferences and see if the book would be a good addition to your shelves or not.

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This hardback Muslim authored, Muslim illustrated anthropomorphized book takes the shape of a moral fable in which Elephant has no friends, attributes it to her appearance, forces the insects and animals around her to give her their eyes, waist, nose, arms etc., and then when they still don’t like her is persuaded by ant to return the body parts, apologize and be content to be ant’s friend.

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My problem I think with the book is that it conflates appearance with friendship without a clear moral, and then Elephant being forced to change by Ant to have a friend seems to reinforce a questionable mindset, even if Ant is more or less in the right.  There is no self reflection on the role of appearance, or what kindness looks and feels like, or even insight into what self confidence, friendship, and body appreciation entails.  It lumps it all together, uses outside influences to get elephant a friend, but doesn’t really articulate any lessons learned or moral to be conveyed.  If I am mistaken and the book is not set to be a moral inspired fable, the climatic joy of the book is simply, what- Do as you are told to have a friend? 

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The book starts out with the other animals questioning, but essentially bullying Elephant about her size, calling her big and awkward and wondering if she can even see or hear them.  Elephant then looks in the mirror and picks herself apart, body part by body part. She tells Owl, who has beautiful eyes to switch with her. Owl doesn’t want to, Owl needs eyes to see, but the transaction occurs.  Next up is Wasp, who has a tiny waist, then Mole with a star shaped nose, etc.  The result is a bizarre looking “Elephant” and numerous unhappy, unable to move critters.  Yes, they are all friends, size, nocturnal, predator, prey not brought in to consideration.  The animals leave and Elephant is still friendless and feeling bad.  Ant pipes up that he knows what should be done.  Interestingly Elephant doesn’t want to listen because it is “just an ant.”  Ant responds, “I have a million friends and I know how to be nice.”  So now we are using appearance, having friends, and being nice as synonyms. Elephant agrees to listen, Ant forcefully convinces Elephant to give everything back and apologize. Ant agrees to go with Elephant, once the animals and insects get their body part back they race off in fear.  Elephant is left back to normal but still with no friends when Ant says that he likes her.  So, was Elephant really sorry? Did she learn to be nice? To be a friend? Did she want to give the parts back or did she do it so Ant would be her friend? Did she appreciate the function and beauty of her own body? So many loose ends that don’t show any growth, teach a moral, convey entertainment or joy, or make me get what the purpose was.  It left me, and my children confused.  And again, had we laughed along the way and been entertained, I wouldn’t need a character arc or lesson, but sadly we closed the book having not felt those feels at all.

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When the cover was revealed I’ll admit I was intrigued by the texture and tone of the elephant, but for some reason the inside pages went from creepy with poignant intent, to a little disturbing, The body parts of the animals are removed and swapped and reaffixed with masking tape.  I’m not opposed to slightly dark humor in children’s books, but I think this could really bother some younger kids that will dwell on the idea of body parts being taken unwillingly.  The text is sparse and presumably the book is for younger readers, so consider this if your children are sensitive.

There is nothing religious or Islamic in the book, nor is their scientific elements to why the animals bodies are the way they are or for what purpose.  It does not discuss environment or relationships in a non fiction manner.  The clear large simple text would suggest the book is for 4-8 year olds.

 

Oct31

Call Me By My Name: 99 Names of Allah by Ayesha N. Rahmaan illustrated by Azra Momin

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Call Me By My Name: 99 Names of Allah by Ayesha N. Rahmaan illustrated by Azra Momin

If you are going to put out a book that has been done hundreds of times before; think numbers, alphabets, Islamic phrases- then be sure and make your book stands out.  And while yes there are numerous English and Arabic books of all sizes about the beautiful names of Allah, this book does in fact stand out.  The shiny cover, with or without the dusk jacket, the sturdiness in your hands, the illustrations, the large font and easy to read English and Arabic (with harakat), is an absolute joy to read, look through, and talk about with children four and up.  The book works in a lot of settings for a lot of ages because of its simplicity, presentation, and appeal.  Kids will pull this off the shelf and look at it without prompting, just as adults can discuss the names, and build lessons off of the ayats included.  The versatility of the book is why I’m stretching out of my comfort zone of fictional reads to review this Islamic non fictional book.

The book starts with establishing that the 25 of 99 names included are those “specifically mentioned in the Holy Quran, with a reference to the surah and aya where each name can be found.”  It shares an aya about the Asmaa Al Husna and a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira and then starts right in.

Most of the names are given a two page spread, a few are only given one, and the English, Arabic, aya, and source are provided.  The illustrations are joyful children and nature scenes.  The book concludes with a spread of all 99 names in English and Arabic with the translations.

You can purchase a copy here.

Oct10

My First Book About Salah: Teachings for Toddlers and Young Children by Sara Khan illustrated by Ali Lodge

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My First Book About Salah: Teachings for Toddlers and Young Children by Sara Khan illustrated by Ali Lodge

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Looking at the books in the series, reading them to my children, getting the latest one delivered to my doorstep: every step along the way makes me smile, alhumdulillah.  The soft warm illustrations and impressive amount of information lovingly conveyed in board book form really makes the series a staple for young children.  The newest addition to the series is about Salah, and I love that the framing is that prayer is a blessing, it doesn’t open with listing the five daily prayers, it begins with Isra wal Miraj.  It sets the tone that prayer is special and beautiful and a gift.  It does eventually list the five required prayers, the words of the athan, Fatiha in English and Arabic, steps of wudu, and parts of salah, but the way it is woven together is seamless and so much more than just lists of information.  With ayats from the Quran sprinkled in, the book flows from one focus to the next, leaving the end as always, for facts and questions.  Appropriate for ages two and up, this 26 page board book can and will still inspire and teach older kids.

The only pause this book gave me were the illustrations.  There is not a single page where the people praying are standing shoulder to shoulder, foot to foot.  I could see if in a few pictures the creative liberty, or Covid reality manifest itself in the pictures, but whether it is a family praying, or people in a masjid, there is a gap between the individuals, and that seemed off to me.  Additionally because of the spacing in all the pictures, the pictures where perhaps the people are not praying together, but are just shown to be making tasleem or the illustration that all Muslims of all colors and all professions and all abilities pray, it almost seems to show men and women praying together.  I don’t know that the toddlers in the audience will notice, but perhaps be aware of it if when reading it to your children.  Aside from that the illustrations show the global faith of Islam and the beauty that we all worship together.

Available to purchase here and I’m sure it will be stocked by Crescent Moon as well.  Oh PS it also comes with a sheet of stickers.

Oct3

The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition by Shirin Shamsi illustrated by Tarun Lak

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The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition by Shirin Shamsi illustrated by Tarun Lak

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I’ve read this book numerous times: sometimes for the text, sometimes for the tone, sometimes to slowly immerse myself in the pictures. I know the basics of my own family’s journey to Pakistan, and this book added to that understanding. I like that it forced me to slow down and to really appreciate what partition was for both sides, from a child’s perspective. Pakistan and India gained freedom from British rule 75 years ago. Nearly every Pakistani or Indian you know today, has a parent or grandparent that lived through it. It is not history from long ago, it is still very much with us, and no I’m not talking about the lingering effects of colonization, I’m talking family stories, and loss of property and wealth, memories of the journey, the terror, the fear, the relief, the determination. This book is one story, perhaps the first mainstream published in the west, of one family’s experience. There could be a thousand more books and they would all be different, all powerful, all reflective. I love that this book is Pakistani authored, Indian illustrated, I love that it offers pages with no words at all. I love that a child’s perspective for such a monumental event is told for other children. There is a lot there for desi readers to unpack, and consider, there is also a lot there for non desi’s to be made aware of, and I hope that you will seek out this book no matter who you are, and share it.

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The book starts with excitement from Azra about an upcoming train ride, even though her family has lived in Dehradun, at the base of the Himalayas, for generations. Suddenly though there is yelling outside because people are afraid, and her Abba runs in saying they have to leave now. Ammi, Abba, Azra, and the baby “Chotu,” rush out the door, leaving the cooking dinner still on the stove. When they get to the train, Azra realizes she has left her beloved doll, Gurya behind. They cannot go back for her.

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Azra blames Chotu, for making her forget her doll, for taking her parent’s attention, yet as the days and nights on the train reveal tired people, sad faces, and fear, Azra finds comfort in her little brother’s embrace.

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When they arrive in Lahore, they are met with food, and shelter. They are given a house that looks like the owners left in the same manner that they had to flee. There are balls of dough with a rolling pin, laundry strewn about, and even a doll left abandoned under a bed.

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The book concludes with a map, a glossary, and an informative author’s note addressing pre-partition, partition, and the author’s own family story. There is hardship and frantic upheaval, but peace and welcome too. The illustrations illuminate the text and show the powerful emotion when words sometime simply don’t exist.

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The book is not political or even religious. There is an Indian flag when they leave and a Pakistani flag when they enter, there are sounds of athan, and packing of a rehl, and a comparison to Eid, and the doll at the end has a bindi on her forehead. The book does not make one side out to be in the right or in the wrong, if you do not know that partition of the subcontinent was a mass migration based on religion and the chaos further exacerbated by the British, this book will not spell it out for you.

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I preordered mine here and it can now be purchased from all major book sellers.