Category Archives: Toddler

Nov16

The Salams: Cranky Kareem Says Alhumdulillah by Kazima Wajahat illustrated by Chaymaa Sobhy

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The Salams: Cranky Kareem Says Alhumdulillah by Kazima Wajahat illustrated by Chaymaa Sobhy

 

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Part of me is tempted to channel my own Cranky Kareem and say how awful this book is, just because I know that the author reads my reviews of her books with bated breath, but alas I cannot lie even in jest as the book is truly adorable.  This 40 page book in a new series highlights and starts to fill the gap in children’s Islamic fiction that is so needed.  There are a number of books and series for toddlers teaching them to say Bismillah, Assalamualaikum, and MashaAllah and all the praise-filled Islamic expressions, but they are very basic, this book, and hopefully the rest of the series, goes a bit deeper.  It shows how to truly mean what you say, how to glorify Allah not just in your words, but in the way you think about things, handle stresses, and carry on.  The concepts and amount of text probably will most appeal to mature kindergarteners to early second graders at bedtime or in small groups.  I do wish that Cranky Kareem apologized to Happy Hamdi after he relentlessly attacked him at the masjid, but in much the way Oscar the Grouch gets away with being so negative, the characters in the book and the readers alike will have to settle for Kareem finally learning the lesson, in this case, of being grateful to Allah (swt) for everything.

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The book starts out with Happy Hamdi waking up in Salamville and praising Allah in appreciation of the fresh air, birds, flowers, and allergy medicine that works.  Across town Cranky Kareem is having the opposite kind of morning.  The sun is blinding, the birds annoying, coffee bitter, and he’s out of milk for his cereal.

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When Kareem finally finds some peace and quiet on a bench at the park he is disturbed by Happy Hamdi and all his happiness.  As Hamdi and bounces off to talk to Greedy Gamal and Healthy Hassan, Cranky Kareem gets an idea.

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When Happy Hamdi heads to the masjid, Cranky Kareem sticks out his foot to trip him.  Hamdi falls and gets a bruise on his nose, but still says Alhumdulillah. He then knocks sticky baklava on him and again he responds with Alhumdulillah, he then dumps a bucket of ice water on Hamdi, and Happy Hamdi says Alhumdulillah once more.  When he leaves the masjid, Hamdi’s car is not working and he has to walk home.

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Kareem can’t take it anymore and confronts Hamdi.  Happy Hamdi explains that he was hungry and didn’t mind the syrup, then the water washed the syrup off and now that he is walking home, his fur is drying.  Flabbergasted by Happy Hamdi, Cranky Kareem stomps off.

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Convinced that Hamdi’s happiness is an act, Kareem pauses to ponder how his plan failed.  Healthy Hassan jogs by and bumps in to him, knocking him off the train track and causing Kareem to twist his ankle, just before a train goes swooshing by.

Realizing that the bump saved his life, Cranky Kareem expresses his appreciation to Allah swt by saying Alhumdulillah.

I love the illustrations and the horizontal layout of the book.  The book is cute and I can’t wait to share the rest of the series with my kids.  Thank you to Crescent Moon Store for having this, and so many wonderful books available.

 

 

 

Oct26

Hey, Presto! by Nadia Shireen

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Hey, Presto! by Nadia Shireen

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This 32 page picture book about friends learning to appreciate each other is both silly and sweet.  An AR 2.6 the book is great for preschool through third grade and gives lots of teachable moments along the way if you want to make it more than just a fun book.  There is nothing religious, but I believe the author, who is also the illustrator, is Muslim.

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Presto and Monty are best friends.  Presto is a brilliant magician and Monty is good at singing, eating ice cream and making funny faces.  When the carnival comes to town the two decide to put on a show and become famous.

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Monty suggests they take turns being the star of the show, and Monty decides to go first.  Monty isn’t a magician, so Presto stays behind the scenes to make sure the tricks work.  Somehow, this is how it ends up going night after night after night.  Presto never gets his turn.

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Monty gets bossier and bossier, demanding things of Presto and being rude.  Presto is no longer having fun.  When Monty signs a contract to go on TV with his magic show, Presto has had enough and leaves.

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When showtime rolls around, Monty realizes Presto has left and has to try and learn magic real quick.  The show doesn’t get off to a good start when none of the magic tricks work.  As the show goes from bad to worse Monty realizes how bad of a friend he has been.

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Presto watching from home can no longer bare it and rushes to save the day.  Monty promises things will be different and the two of them cook up a new act and realize together their show is perfect.

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Sep21

Yeti and the Bird by Nadia Shireen

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Yeti and the Bird by Nadia Shireen

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What a sweet story about assumptions, loneliness, friendship and kindness.  An AR 2.0, this 32 page simple picture book tells the story of an accidental meeting, making friends, and the opening of hearts of the forest critters as a result.  Written and illustrated by a Muslim author, the adorable illustrations make the story come to life and provide smiles for kg-2nd graders along the way.

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Yeti is the biggest, hairiest, scariest beast anyone has ever seen.  So no one comes near him, making him very lonely.  But one day a lost bird thunks him on the head.  The Yeti growls, but the bird doesn’t get scared. At all. Instead the little bird tells Yeti about her journey and how she was headed to a hot tropical island for the winter.

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Yeti doesn’t know what to do with the sad little bird, so he picks her up and takes her home.  The next day the two play and laugh.  The forest animals look on in surprise and curiosity.

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As it gets colder, Yeti knows his new friend will need to leave so he studies the map and helps give her directions for the long journey ahead.  Once she leaves, Yeti is even lonelier than before.

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But, alas, new friends are ready to play and the little bird stops by to play when she can.

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Cute and fun and great for littles, to be brave and give a new friend a chance.

Jun15

Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures by Trisha Springstubb illustrated by Elaheh Taherian

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Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures by Trisha Springstubb illustrated by Elaheh Taherian

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This 32 page book for ages 5-8 is a perfectly presented story about inter-generational and intercultural friendships.  Big on sentiment and heart while keeping the text short allows the compassion the two friends have for each other and their actions of showing how they feel toward one another speak volumes.  The illustrations appear to be cut paper and add to the thoughtfulness that the story presents.

Khalil and his family live upstairs and are noisy.  Mr. Hagerty is quiet and lives downstairs.  The two bond over their love of the back yard.  While Mr. Hagerty works in his garden, Khalil hunts for bugs and rocks and treasure.

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When Khalil doesn’t know a word, Mr. Hagerty teaches him.  When Mr. Hagerty can’t remember a word, Khalil helps him.khalid

That summer it is hot, really hot.  The carrots are all shriveled, and Khalil can’t dig the hard earth for treasures either. So the two decide to have “refreshments,” which means chocolate cake and milk.

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That night, the two friends separately plot to cheer the other up.  They put their plan in to action and, no I’m not going to spoil the sweet acts the two do for each other.  But it is clever and sweet and all the things that make a feel good story stick with you and remind you that age and culture and color are nothing when two people open their hearts to learn and grow.

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There is no reason anyone casually reading the book would think that Khalil is a Muslim, and who knows maybe he isn’t, but the name Khalil caught my attention and the author’s dedication is to a Khalil, Muhammad, Fatima, and Adam.  So yes, I totally am claiming it.  Even if it isn’t, the old white man, and the young boy of color bonding is a great message in-and-of itself that we need to see more of in literature and real life.

 

Jun1

Alya and the Three Cats by Amina Hachimi Alaoui illustrated by Maya Fidawi

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Alya and the Three Cats by Amina Hachimi Alaoui illustrated by Maya Fidawi

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This sweet 32 page book is the purr-fect way to introduce the arrival of a new baby to toddlers and preschoolers.  Instead of siblings preparing for a new arrival, it is three very different cats that need reassurance that there is enough love to go around.

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Minouche, Pasha, and Amir live with their humans Myriam and Sami, and life is good.  Minouche likes to hide, Pasha is regal, and Amir the Siamese is very curious.  One thing they all have in common though, is they like to curl up on Myriam’s belly.3cats1

And her belly is growing! They are finding it harder to fit, and it even moves. Then one day Myriam and Sami leave early in the morning without even saying good-bye.

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Finally she comes home.  She is carrying a basket and disappears in the room without even acknowledging the cats.  The cats sneak in and see a funny little creature that squeaks.

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Grandma steps in to assure the curious little cats that there is enough love for the new baby, Ayla, and them.  Feeling confident, the proud cats take on protecting their little human and the family full of love.

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There isn’t anything Islamic in the book, but it definitely is culturally rich in the names, illustrations and the author is Moroccan.

The sweet book would be a great way to get siblings comfortable with a new one on the way and let them talk about how the cats thought, felt, and handled the change.  Even children not about to have a new addition will find the silliness and sweetness entertaining and enjoyable.  The pictures are gorgeous and fun and the text and presentation perfect for bedtime, story time, and anytime.

 

 

May25

My First Muslim Potty Book by Yousfa Janjua illustrated by Golnar Servatian

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My First Muslim Potty Book by Yousfa Janjua illustrated by Golnar Servatian

07041C66-B149-48A8-9CC7-B2752984EE68I’m not sure why this book is just coming out now and why I never realized how important it is.  It sounds silly, but we as Muslims are very precise about our bathroom habits and cleanliness and the fact that this is the first book to address it for children is actually, kind of surprising.  But Alhumdulillah, you only need one if it is done well, and over 16 pages of cute illustrated rhyme filled pages, istinja is explained and normalized.  The book is a great tool to use, not only, when potty training toddlers, but also for reviewing with your preschooler when they might be leaving home for the first time and/or seeing other people’s bathroom habits.

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The book starts out with a thorough “Note to Parents” explaining istinja, tahara as well as giving parents some tips to handle potty training in general.  The book starts by noting how you started out as a baby and are now growing and part of the growth has you ready for big kid underwear.

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It talks about what it feels like when you need to go, and how when that feeling happens, you need to hurry to the bathroom.  If you hurry and still have an accident, we (the parents) will clean it up and not to worry.

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The book teaches that you enter with your left foot, and ask for help if you need it.  That you sit down to do your business because poop and pee are najis, impure. You then have to do istinja, which is like a germ fighting ninja!

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It teaches the toddler to call for mom or dad to wash them with the lota or bidet or pot using their right hand to pour and their left to wash.  You then use toilet paper to dry.  After you flush, you wash your hands for 20 seconds, leave with your right foot and be done.

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The book then has a glossary, some ayats of Quran and some Hadith as well as Duas relating to the bathroom.  The 8×8 hardback book is done really well and conveys the key points on a kid’s level, which is great.

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I love that the book uses Islamic Arabic words and shows a diverse family being patient and encouraging.  I am fine with the child illustrated as reading a book while on the toilet, but I think some parents might frown on that.  The book is meant for Muslim kids, and does a good job of showing the practicing family in the illustrations and in the text.

Thank you to Crescentmoonstore.com for their great price and service!

 

May11

Go On, Zap Shaytan: Seeking Shelter with Allah by Razana Noor illustrated by Omar Burgess

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Go On, Zap Shaytan: Seeking Shelter with Allah by Razana Noor illustrated by Omar Burgess

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In rhyming couplets spread out over 32 pages with adorable illustrations, this book is a great introduction to the whispers of shaytan that encourage us to be naughty, and how to counter them without frightnening young listeners.  Meant for preschool age children and up, this is the second book by the author discussing an important religious concept in an easy to understand manner (the first book was about Kiraman Katibin) that empowers children to make great choices and find strength in doing so, even when mistakes are made.4CB95EFD-0B5A-4725-B110-4361E48CD9A4

The “Note to Parents” at the beginning provides great framework for the takeaway message of the book.  That yes, shaytan whispers to us and we will make mistakes, but the power is ours to overcome such temptations and inshaAllah do good.

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The book starts out a bit shakey for me as the rhyming is a bit off on one page, and the blame for the little boy with the great hair’s naughtiness is blamed solely on shaytan.  As a former teacher, this is always a tricky concept when trying to teach children to take responsibility for their actions, but then knowing full well that shayateen are real too.

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Once the flip side, of how to protect yourself from shaytan, starts: by saying aoudhu-billahi minashaytanir rajeem, bismillah, salam, reading Quran, calling athan, etc.. the book flows really well.

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I love how much information is conveyed about the jinn and their purpose and how they cower and put their fingers in their ears to not hear the praise of Allah swt.

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There is a glossary for the Arabic words and Islamic references, some kids might need some additional understanding about jin and responsibiltiy, but a solid book that I have read over 20 times to my 4 year old in the last week, alhumdulillah.

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Thank you again to Crescent Moon Storefor their incredibly quick fullfillment of the order.

Apr27

Khadijah and Cat: Ramadan is Here by Shamsa Ahmed illustrated by Afsaneh Bagherloo

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Khadijah and Cat: Ramadan is Here by Shamsa Ahmed illustrated by Afsaneh Bagherloo

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New this year in the Ramadan category is this gorgeous 40 page hardback book that mixes information about the blessed month with personable characters very well.  It stays on track without getting silly, even with a talking cat and a reoccurring super hero dinosaur, but I don’t understand the attempted rhyme scheme.  I’ve read the book over a dozen times trying to map it, and sometimes it is so natural that it makes reading it aloud smooth and lyrical, and sadly a few times it seems so forced that it makes the sentence nonsensical or awkward.  There is so much information, so beautifully paced and illustrated for children 4 and up, that I’m willing to overlook the few sentences that irked me to recommend this book for you and your children to enjoy this Ramadan.  Without a glossary though, it is probably best for Muslim children, or those with someone who can explain words such as: suhoor, iftar, adhan, SubhanAllah, dua, Allah, etc..

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Khadijah and Cat are looking for the moon to know if it is the start of Ramadan, and once they find it, they rush to spread the news.  Immediately everyone starts decorating and celebrating and sharing delicious food.

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They then head home to sleep so they can wake up early for suhoor.  They make a point to eat something healthy to sustain them for the whole day, then they pray and go back to sleep.

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Cat wakes up ready to eat and is surprised that they have to wait until sunset before they can eat or drink anything.  Khadijah explains that Ramadan is a holy month and one of the five pillars of Islam.  The illustrations show the other pillars, but the explanation of Ramadan is a bit advanced with words such as regression, unpriviledged, compassion, and purifying.

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The next page continues listing off what Khadijah and Cat are learning about Ramadan, as they spend time praying and reading the Holy Quran.  At the sound of the fourth Adhan they break their fast.  The names of the salat or that they pray five times a day is not mentioned, but lends itself to a great teaching point.

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They then pray and eat and take the neighbors some gifts.  Cat is convinced that the day was good and is ready for the next 30.  The last ten nights are identified as important and Laylat al Qadr is mentioned as being special, but it does not tell why they are unique.

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Khadijah and Cat then invite you to fast and see why Ramadan is so special.  The end of the book has some questions, a Ramadan count down and a coloring page.  I was surprised that there was not a glossary as the Arabic words in the text are enlarged, and often not defined.

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I love the font and binding and horizontal 10 x 11.5 layout.  The illustrations are gorgeous and the details in the decor and Khadijah wearing hijab while out, but not at home are very well executed.  I’m not sure why the Meer-Rex is in the book, he is never identified or given attention, maybe in future books he will have more of a role, inshaAllah.

I ordered mine from Crescent Moon Store and received it within days of placing the order, thank you!

Apr20

Eid Breakfast at Abuela’s by Mariam Saad illustrated by Chaymaa Sobhy

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Eid Breakfast at Abuela’s by Mariam Saad illustrated by Chaymaa Sobhy

breakfastThis book is the first in a series (hopefully) called Trilingual Sofia, where English is the predominant language, and Spanish and Arabic are interwoven to tell the story.  Focusing on Eid and spending the holiday in Mexico with her non Muslim grandmother, the story with bright illustrations is a celebration of diversity, acceptance, family, and Eid.

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Sofia has had a special Ramadan.  She tried fasting for the first time and now that the month is over, they are breaking their fast and then getting on a plane to Mexico to have Eid breakfast with her Abuela.

On the plane she keeps her pretzel bag to add to her scrapbook and then they get changed into their Eid clothes before they land.  Once in Mexico they go straight to the mosque to meet their friends and then to Abuela’s house.

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Abuela’s house is decorated for Eid and all the family is there.  They eat breakfast together and the kids play games and sing songs and take pictures.

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The 32 page 8.5 by 8.5 inch hardback book claims to be for toddles and preschoolers, but I think it is more for kids in early elementary with the small and ample text.  The Spanish words are highlighted in green and Sofia teaches some Arabic to her Mexican cousins.  There is a glossary of all three languages at the end.  

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The book is not meant only for Muslim children, but it doesn’t explain Ramadan or Eid, so while Muslim’s might be able to connect the dots of why she only fasted the last two hours of a day or why they went to the mosque before they went to Abuela’s, I wish the book explained it.

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I love that their are subtle connections between the three languages, like Angel Gabriel/Jibreel and the name Yusuf/Joseph.  The book is a great example of Islam outside of the Middle East and the Asian subcontinent and I truly hope there are more books in this series and more books like it to show the diversity of Islam and the commonalities we all share.