Tag Archives: adventure

Apr28

The Kingdom Over the Sea by Zohra Nabi

Posted on April 28, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

This 336 page middle grade fantasy book had a lot of promise for me, but ultimately fell a little flat. The protagonist was likeable, there was emotion, the story was compelling, and I know it is widely said that debut novels tend to be a little weak or be underdeveloped or having pacing problems, yet I hesitate these days to use this as an excuse. I’ve been around the industry a few years and it seems many author’s debut novel, is not, in fact, the first book they’ve written or even the first book they’ve “sold.” Books are written and finalized years before they are released for some genres particularly of late, so I’m trying not to let myself get caught up in the author’s writing journey (I’m sure I’m all sorts of wrong about what I think it would be anyway), and just review the book in front of me. This book has no religion, and I don’t know if the author identifies as Muslim. There are a hodgepodge of Arab and Desi cultural references in the characters’ names, and in the sprinkling in of salwar qamis, abaya, head scarf, sambusak, and there is a ma’a salama at one point along with the presence of jinn (not religiously referenced). There is also mention of medicinal wine, magic, a lady who has a crush on another lady in her youth, music, and dancing. The book held my interest as I wanted to see how it unraveled, and I recognize that there is a book two, so some of my thoughts might be premature, but I struggled with the premise of the protagonist trying to understand the journey her deceased mother has sent her on, and how the person she was supposed to find for the answers simply won’t talk, even though the two are living together. It made the story really drag in places and seem underdeveloped. The world building, the backstories, the adventure at hand, really is imaginative, but the development of the relationships in the story are absolutely non existent, and the book overall suffers because of it. Also the ease in which rising action is resolved is often the kids just throwing an idea out and it being right. I read and review through a critical lens and many recent middle grade fantasy books have been absolutely incredible, perhaps it isn’t fair to compare, but this book just came up short for me in developing memorable characters and plot, even though all the elements were present, capitalizing on bringing it all together stayed just out of reach unfortunately.

SYNOPSIS:

Yara’s mother has died and when she finds a letter with instructions of what to do and where to go should this moment arrive, she decides to dodge her social worker and journey to a world of magic across the sea. Unsure of her own background, she thinks she might be Iraqi, but doesn’t speak Arabic, she longs to find a place to belong, and when she arrives in Zehaira and hears the language of her mother, she is hopeful that this Leyla Khatoun, who lives in the third to last house on Istehar Way, will provide her with answers. But alas Leyla is not there, the Sultan’s alchemists are, and Yara is now on the run in a foreign land. Help finds her and with a little magic she finds Leyla. Leyla begrudgingly takes her in, but refuses her any insight into her past, her relationship with her mother, or why the letter directed Yara to her. As the alchemists poison the sorcerers, Leyla and some other kids (friends?) have to find a way to save the settlement and magic in the land.

WHY I LIKE IT:

Yara as a character is likeable, she is plucky, resourceful, determined, and despite her circumstance does not want or need pity or handouts. She advocates for animals, the poor, is a grassroots organizer, and unapologetic in how she carries herself. I love that she isn’t whiney or helpless, and that she trusts herself to problem solve and isn’t afraid to think outside the box, while maintaining her kindness and appreciation for those around her.

As someone who doesn’t like Alice in Wonderland type stories, this book grounded the world building in an easily consumable way, so even though it is Yara leaving the UK and stepping into a new world, the functioning of the new world didn’t feel random or surprising. While this was beneficial for someone like me, it made the focus of the story more on the characters’ relationships in enhancing the plot, and the book wasn’t strong in showing those connections. Yara meets a map maker for a moment and a cat, and months later recalls the cat and the map maker by name and face. A boy, Rafi, who is also studying magic and Yara don’t get along, yet are friends because it says so, the book doesn’t show us their bond. Rafi meets some great uncle and the great uncle is painfully underdeveloped (along with his “friend”) and the tangent weak in reinforcing the major climax. The relationship between Yara and Leyla is the center of the story and so glossed over, there is no tangible connection, or cathartic release when details emerge, it was very disappointing to say the least. Yara and Ajal, the jinn, what is that relationship even, she frees him à la Aladdin freeing the Genie, but they are friends, not friends, he looks out for her, but doesn’t like her, the telling and the showing don’t align. Even Yara’s relationship with the settlement and the inhabitants is disconnected from the plot of saving magic. The climax is weak because we, the reader, don’t feel any connection to any magical folk. The emotion of the mother dying at the beginning and the slight retrospection (I’m not going to spoil it) of the mother’s love at the end, was developed and made me invested in Yara, that same energy did not present itself, sadly, in any other relationships in the book.

FLAGS:

Death, loss, poison, imprisonment, magic, mention of medicinal wine, one line mention of a female character liking another female character as more than a friend, dancing, singing, jinn, torture, male and female friendships, destruction, lying, sneaking.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t use this as a book club selection and wouldn’t go out of my way to shelve it in the school library or classroom library. I will probably read the second book though and see where the series goes and reevaluate. I will also probably read future works from the author as the sparks of good story telling and writing definitely show promise for the author even though this particularly book wasn’t “magical” for me.

Apr14

Grounded: A Novel by Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow and S.K. Ali

Posted on April 14, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Grounded: A Novel by Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow and S.K. Ali

Over the years I’ve read to a lot of kids, with a lot of kids, discussed books in classrooms, and in book clubs, so when reviewing I often share what kids think or what I imagine kids will think, and I usually acknowledge when I’m being overly critical as a reviewer, but this book I will tell you, I did not read through the intended middle grade lens, I read it as a 42 year old seasoned reader. I know this because I cried during the entire second half, and the book is not sad. It is fast paced, joyful and adventure filled. I cried at the ownership of identity, the pureness of friendship, the acceptance of the flaws and strengths of those closest to us, the love of family and that this book is written by four incredible Muslim women authors for Muslim kids to be seen and for non Muslims to see Muslim kids in action in a fantastic, non preachy, authentic, powerful engaging story. In short I loved it. I love that the voices are different, but polished and seamless in conveying a fictional story with universal themes through a variety of Muslim characters without talking down or over explaining anything. From the maps to the crossover character Hanna from S.K. Ali books, the poetry from they young lyricist to the representation and discussions of Muslims not being a monolith, and the sprinkling of a Hadith or Quranic ayat here and there (I wish there was more), the book tugged at my heart strings. For kids third grade and up, some of those themes might resonate, or it might just be a book about a lost cat in an airport and a hodgepodge group of strangers, turning friends, stranded in an airport searching for her while dodging security and exasperated parents.

SYNOPSIS:

The end of the MONA (Muslims of North America) Conference has lots of families at the fictional Zora Neale Hurston heading home. Tired parents and restless kids lead Feek’s little sister Ruqi to go missing and Feek to blame. As he searches for his little sister he meets Hanna, a girl looking for a lost cat, not her lost cat, just one she has heard about from her animal activist group that is missing at the airport. As they search for Ruqi, Sami gets dragged along even though he’d rather be mentally keeping his anxiety in check as he prepares for the Karate competition he is heading to. Luckily Nora, Congresswoman Najjar’s daughter, finds Ruqi and the five strangers are brought together. When all flights are grounded because of weather, the group goes in search of the missing cat, Snickerdoodle, finding leads, security, secret corridors, self confidence, friendship, and skills along the way.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I knew the book would be good with the authors’ names on the cover and their ability to tell a good story, but I was still blown away by how real the characters were fleshed out and their “problems” articulated. The emotional connection to each character facing their insecurities and supporting one another’s’ vulnerabilities was reflective and insightful. I love the diverse inclusion of showing Muslims that don’t speak Arabic or don’t know if they are Muslim enough, of Black Muslims and Black culture, of being an only children and struggling with siblings, understanding parental expectation and finding your voice to speak up to those you love. The surface story is paced well and entertaining and sufficient, but the details and the story beneath the surface, really is powerful.

Again with the reviewer lens- I did wish in the middle there was a tiny bit more inclusion of a Bismillah when following a lead or an AstugfirAllah when breaking a rule or a quick prayer when running from authorities, the beginning and end was Islamically rooted, but as an Islamic School Librarian, I must admit I’d like a few more mentions during the “adventure” parts.

FLAGS:

The kids are dishonest, they break rules (possibly laws), they lie, and do some damage, they sneak and kind of talk back to their parents, nothing is normalized or accepted though and they are called to account. There is a birthday that is celebrated with everyone singing, and possible triggers of talking about a deceased parent. The kids are 12/13 and younger, and brought together by circumstance, but by the end the girls and boys have developed close friendships.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Even though the book is meant for middle grades, I think younger middle school readers would enjoy the book and find plenty to discuss as they see themselves and others in the characters, imagine what they would do in such a situation, and get swept up in the ride.

Dec5

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

Posted on December 5, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I have no idea if the author identifies as Muslim. I saw the 2023 YA book described as a Middle Eastern fantasy, characters with Arabic names, djinn representation and possibly a hijab wearing protagonist on the cover, so I requested an advanced reader’s copy, squealed with delight when I got approved, and happily fell into the 464 page world of The Sahir and Kingdom of Alqibah. Their is no Islam in the book, it is not a hijab, but I’m sharing it here, not just to let readers know it isn’t Islamic rep, but to let them know that for the genre it is pretty clean, and the story is an engaging easy read. At times Imani is whiney and annoying, but she has a developed arc, and the book has a few slow patches, but nothing that lasted long enough to tempt me to give up on it. I think 14 year olds and up can handle the three brief kisses, the sexual assault that is thwarted, the lusting glances, the killing, the potential addiction, and the commentary on colonizers and oppressors. It is the first book in a series, so this review is only for this book and not an evaluation of the rest of the books that perhaps are not even written yet.

SYNOPSIS:

In Qalia, the Shields protect their community from monsters with the Spice entrusted to them, misra, that magically empowers affinities in them. The top Shield, Imani, has an affinity for iron, and with the support of her powerful clan she exists in a world of privilege and opportunity. When her powerful brother, Atheer, is assumed dead after stealing misra and suffering from magical obsession, the family’s reputation is not as pristine as it once was. Imani’s younger sister, Amira, is also keeping secrets as she is caught stealing, skipping school, and refusing to follow family orders and country laws. When the two girls find themselves following Atheer’s horse into the forbidden waste, they learn that their brother might not be dead and that there is more to their world than they ever were allowed to know. With desperation to learn more about her brother’s location clouding her judgement, the Djinni Slayer, Imani, bonds with Qayn, a djinni who claims to not only know Atheer, but to have been his close friend. Imani scrambles to know what to do, and seeks out answers and permission from Council, that results in her and three other’s heading off on a rescue mission to the Kingdom of Alqibah. Everyone’s orders, however, are not the same, and first they must survive the desert, the monsters, and each other if they are to find Atheer.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the world building is not at the expense of character development. The single linear story line does mean that at times side characters are seemingly forgotten, but the focus of the world through Imani’s eyes allows the gaps to be overlooked as her concerns and priorities take center stage. I love the emphasis on family, it is sibling love that is motivating the protagonist and closeness to an aunt that allows for privilege and opportunity. The romantic threads and tangents never overshadow the familial importance- it isn’t a forced obligation it is very warm and it is nice to see and feel the truth in the characters approach to family. I love the Arabic names, foods, and while my electronic version did not have a map, the author has one on her Instagram page that suggests the physical book will have a map.

I love that the book discusses colonizers and oppressors. It may be fiction and fantasy, but there are some very real themes included in fleshed out way that would allow for a lot of deeper discussion and connections to be made. The book is well polished, I don’t know that it reads like a debut, which is always a good thing I suppose. At times Imani is really unlikeable, but fortunately it doesn’t last too long, same goes for Amira and her bouts of childishness juxtaposed with her glimpses of maturity. Taha, is noted to be very different depending on the company he keeps, so while frustrating- it seems to be intentional. The only real hiccup I felt in the book was understanding how at times the language differences were such an obstacle and how at other times Imani could read the graffiti and be understood.

FLAGS:

Magic, romance, lust, kisses, flirting, attempted sexual assault, lying, killing, addiction, alcohol, drinking, murder, abuse, physical abuse, bullying, oppression, colonizing.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t know that I would pick this as a book club read, but I would definitely shelve it in a class, school, or home library. I think it is a fun read for teens and up and I look forward to the rest of the series. The book releases in January 2023 and as always presales are the biggest way to show support to authors and titles. You can find the book here.

Nov11

An Andalus Adventure by S.N. Jalali

Posted on November 11, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I truly am glad I read this book. I love historical fiction, visiting Spain is on my bucket list, this book has a map, details about what is historical what is fiction, has Islam woven in to the heart and soul of the story and characters, and yet it was a hard read. The first few pages grip you, the last 50 bring it all together, but the middle 250 were hit and miss in this lower YA/upper MG book. I honestly had to force myself to keep reading. My teen and tween son couldn’t get past 38 pages or so, and I’ve asked around and no one I know that started the book, finished it. I think ultimately there are just too many characters, too many points of view, that even though the history is rich, the literary points all in order, their isn’t enough character connection to hold the readers through the wandering details. This author’s style is a bit more slow, but I think in the House of Ibn Kathir series, the setting of being in school and having friend problems is relatable to readers; boarding horses on to a boat, deciding to wage war, and going in to battle are not familiar concepts, and without the emotional connection it loses momentum. The climax is nice but ultimately rather lackluster, and the beauty of characters taking shahada, Jews being freed, Solomon’s table, an old lady with a premonition, and a character dying are just not enough to keep the story in reader’s hands, unfortunately.

SYNOPSIS:

The summary might make the book seem fast paced, and while it does constantly move forward to a clear destination, it isn’t a “buckle your seatbelt and hang on” type of story. The setting is Northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula in 711 CE, 92 years after the Hijrah. The book opens with two young siblings Ben and Bella, overlooking the coast, dreading their lives under Visigoth oppression, and hiding their Jewish culture and faith. It then jumps to the Governor of Ceuta, Count Julian (Ilyan), awaiting to meet with Umayyad leader Tariq ibn-Ziyad. He is hoping to rescue his daughter from the court of King Roderick and convince the Muslim General to enter Iberia, restore the rightful king, and free the people essentially. Add in voices from Qasim, a young Berber, and Jacob a captured Iberian, and the stage is set to get everything in order to cross the straights, survey the enemy, take on the King, and introduce Islam to the new land.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I absolutely love the Islam and the history and the fictional liberties. I love that the book is clean, although, I do wonder if more information about Lady Florinda would have helped the reader understand her father’s desperation, I do understand the vagueness, but it is a glaring omission that keeps the reader curious. Ultimately I wanted more backstory. The little given about the characters was engaging. I loved the teasing about being a shepherd, Jacob coming to love Islam, Bella not wanting to marry, but it seemed to always stop short of sweeping me away. I didn’t cry (SPOILER) when Hisham died, I barely knew him. I didn’t feel the urgency to hide and escape from Leander’s proposal. It set up to add depth regarding Old Mother Magda, the Cave of Secrets, and the unverified death of the king, but after being stated it was never mentioned again or resolved for any real purpose.

All that aside, I think the book has value, it is just really dry in spots, a lot of spots, and given the vocabulary, the changing narrators, the choppiness between chapters, and the history, it is hard to keep reading or be anxious to pick up once you have put it down. So with all that in mind, I think the book would be great to use in a classroom setting. You could read a chapter Monday, and then pick it back up on Thursday and not worry that no one remembers anything because it is focusing on new characters anyway. In a middle school, or upper elementary the book would be a great crossover between History, English, and Islam classes. The book would naturally lend itself to the students keeping character journals, the supplements and backmatter would allow for references and insight in to real history, and I think the book would do really well in this set up to connect with the audience.

The Epilogue was nice, but a little disjointed. I appreciated the updates on the characters and it showing Muslims and people of other faiths coexisting and being accepting even within families, but the connection to the story was a little lost. Similarly, I love that it mentioned Abbas Ibn Firnas, but I don’t know that most kids know enough about him to know what is being hinted at and what the outcome was of his flight at the end.

FLAGS:

Death, war, battles, killing, nothing graphic, very tame, not graphic or detailed gore.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t know that I could get middle school students to read the book for a book club, it would have to be motivated by a grade to get through it in a classroom setting I’m afraid. See above to read my thoughts on how to present it.

I purchased my book on Amazon and will receive a few pennies if you decide to purchase a copy using this link.

Sep23

The Girl Who Lost a Leopard by Nizrani Farook

Posted on September 23, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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The Girl Who Lost a Leopard by Nizrani Farook

This stand alone middle grade read by Muslim author Nizrana Farook is similar to her first two books about an elephant and a whale in that it is set in Serendib a long time ago and revolves around a beautiful wild animal and clever, endearing, determined young children. This actual story is an easy read at 203 pages (the end of the book is the first four chapters of one of her previously published books). I think seven and eight year olds will enjoy getting to know Selvi and the beautiful leopard Lakka that she considers a friend. For me the ending took an odd turn that seemed out of place, but up until then I was enchanted by the lush imagery, sheer determination, and sweet friendship shared within the pages. The main character is not Muslim, but presumably some of the side characters are with names such as, Amir and Salma.

SYNOPSIS:
Selvi and her mother live in a small home on the mountain. Most days she runs wild with a golden leopard she has named Lakka. She keeps her distance, but there is a pattern to their interactions, and when Selvi’s mother finally allows her to go to school, and she finds the other children unkind, Lakka becomes her only friend. One day poachers are on the mountain hunting not just any leopards, which are protected by the queen, but the rare golden one that is often seen in the area, Selvi tries to interfere. And before she knows it, they are after her. She hides near a home, and when the poacher’s come looking for her, she is at the mercy of Amir to lie and say he hasn’t seen her. Amir is a classmate, a mean one, but he has seen her before with the leopard, and suddenly Lakka is not so alone.

Between making friends at school, battling her uncle’s rules to start behaving more ladylike, and keeping a leopard safe, the adventure is fast paced and the story entertaining.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love kids outsmarting adults and saving the day, it makes for good story telling. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I really felt like it was forced. I truly do not understand why the children needed to take a drugged Lakka to the port and back. Why not leave him with the new friends and go to the port without him? He is a wild animal, we have been given reasoning for so much of the human animal interactions to be believable, that this seems to be negligent. So much could have gone wrong and for what? There was no need. The kids wanting to see punishment handed out is motivation enough for them to make the journey in my opinion. Sigh, I don’t know that younger kids will be as bothered as I am, but I think fourth graders and up will definitely question it and be confused. I also don’t know that I have ever seen the sneak peak of another book included at the end, being for a book previously published. Aren’t they usually for upcoming releases? Either way, it seemed to make the last portion of the book deflate a bit for a story that was engaging, entertaining, and hard to put down until then.

FLAGS:

Lying, poaching, abuse, threats, killing, animal cruelty, bullying.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would be a fun read aloud in a classroom or at bedtime. The short chapters have little illustrations above the headings that hint at what is to come, and the writing style is perfect for short blocks of time.

The book is available on Amazon

Jul1

A Darkness at the Door by Intisar Khanani

Posted on July 1, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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A Darkness at the Door by Intisar Khanani

Y’all I was devastated when Theft of Sunlight ended on a cliffhanger, but Alhumdulillah, this conclusion was well worth the wait. My heart is at ease, even if I am trying to figure out how to get the “Blessing” so that I can forget I read the book, and enjoy it all over again for the “first” time. I don’t normally review second books in the series, and this won’t be a typical review, but truly if you have not read Thorn or Theft, what are you waiting for, go get those books and start reading. I don’t know a lot about the publication drama of this fantastic book, but I do know that it was not published in the USA by the same publisher as the first book in the duology, and the thought that we, the readers, could have stepped up the pre-sales and shown our love for the series, the author, and the characters weighs heavy on me. Thankfully, the UK publisher kept the book and the author found a way to get Darkness to us in the US (it publishes later this summer), but truly we have the power to support good, quality stories, and we must actively show it so that they get published, rather than simply complain about what options are made available to us. This is the author’s website: http://booksbyintisar.com/ if you sign up for her newsletters you can get all the bookishly delicious info. She is not asking me to promote her or her books, but I happily share and direct support to her, because her stories really are great, and from what I can fangirl find out about the author, so is she.

The book picks up where Theft leaves off, and manages to remind readers what might have been forgotten in the interim. It had been over a year since I read book one and while I fumbled a little at the beginning, the author caught me up to speed and didn’t let me lose a beat in Rae’s latest and ongoing adventures. It starts with Rae aboard a slavers ship with children bound for a horrible fate. More than just her life is at stake, as the information she has recently discovered implicates palace officials, the Circle of Mages, an heir to the throne and so much corruption. With the help of street thief Bren, Rae gets herself in and out of trouble quicker than most expect. Her clubfoot, sharp brain, and genuine values, force anyone who underestimates Rae to find themselves scrambling to keep up. She has grown to love her body and the strengths that it affords her, and in her actions and dedication to changing the world she becomes a formidable river Pirate Queen that you genuinely care for, cheer on, and hope gets a happy ending.

Yes, if you have read Theft and are wondering why I didn’t mention Princess Alyrra, Red Hawk, the Cormorant, Niya, Stonemare, Artemian, and everyone else, fear not, they are all present, and get their story arcs, I just don’t want to risk a single spoiler. If you’ve waited for this conclusion, you will find yourself desperately dreading the final pages, and wishing the story would never end. The fantasy, action, characters, world building is all incredible and so hard to put down. The author is Muslim, but there is no Islam present in the stories, although hints of desi culture do seem to present in the Sweetening atleast.

The book is YA, but I think 15 and up or so would be a good fit. Like the others in the series, it has magic, murder, killing, lying, thieving, alcohol, corruption, implications of sexual abuse, assault and threat of rape, but this book also has some language, talk of infertility, and some implied banter about marital relations. The romance is very halal and clean, but the violence is graphic as dealing with the implications of murder and slavery are grappled with and thus a thematic element of the story.

Thank you Netgalley UK for the arc, if the book looks interesting and fun for you, please preorder the book wherever you are.

Jun3

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M.T. Khan

Posted on June 3, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Nura and the Immortal Palace by M.T. Khan

This 272 page unapologetically Muslim MG tale takes on some heavy concepts: child labor, jinn, education, and gulab jamun- I mean greed. Through the eyes of feisty, determined, clever, and strong Nura, though, the trials of life and society are never without hope, a sense of adventure, and good intentions. The characters are likeable, the Islam wonderfully present and often centered, the social commentary remarkable, but the framing for me, made it a bit of a struggle to read at times. It is set up like Alice in Wonderland or even Silverworld, where the characters living in a real world stumble in to an alternate reality, and thus the world building occurs in real-time so to speak. The reader has no idea what is going on until it is happening, no clue what the rules and constraints of the fantasy world are until some detail is needed to help or hinder the protagonist, and personally I struggle with this wandering style of narrative. I have mentioned before that as a child I really never read fantasy, and I think this is why, I need the context to ground the story so that I might lose myself in the adventure at hand. If you are fine with this framing and at ease with Islamic jinn fantasy, then this book will be a lot of fun. If you find fantasy “shirk-y” do know that Ayat ul Kursi is used to save the day, but that there is a lot of imagination regarding the beings made of smokeless fire, a casino is present along with dancing, indentured labor, and the fear of death.

The book releases in July 2022, and as always pre-orders help show support for books, authors, and the OWN voice content that they entail, so if this book seems like a good fit for your 3rd/4th grade reader and up you can pre-order it here: https://amzn.to/3MVvxQo

SYNOPSIS:

Nura lives in the small industrial Pakistani city of Meerabagh. Her father has passed away and her family is too poor to send her to school, instead she must work so that her siblings might eat. Her mother works in a sweat factory and Nura in the mica mines. The illegal child labor and cruel owners provide less than ideal working conditions for the children forced to mine the sparkly mineral. Nura’s mom wants her to quit, Nura herself doesn’t enjoy the torment, but somehow she takes it on as a challenge to be the best miner in Meerabagh, pushing her self deeper into the fragile tunnels. With bestfriend Faisal always warning her about going too far, she decides to finally listen to her mother and quit the mines, but not after she makes one final effort to find the rumored “Demon’s Tongue” treasure. She digs too deep though, and the mines collapse, children are lost, Faisal among them. Determined to find her best friend, she plunges in to the fallen mines and finds herself on the pink waters outside the luxurious jinn hotel, the Sijj Palace.

Nura has always been warned about jinn, qareens and the tricks they play on humans, but when a life of luxury is dangled in front of her, Nura pushes her better judgement aside to enjoy a life she has always dreamed of. It isn’t just the food and clothes, but it is the respect and honor she is given as she wins a food eating contest, gambles in a casino, and gets decorated for a dance party. It all comes crashing down however, when in an attempt to impress the painted boy, she cuts off his horn. Status revoked, Nura is sent to the labor force, where she will remain for eternity, imprisoned and at the disposal of the hotel. What is more, after the three day festival of Eid al Adha, her memories of her life before coming to the jinn world will disappear. Nura is determined to escape, but nothing in the jinn world is easy, and for a 12 year old girl with fading memories, this might be more than she can endure.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that Nura is unapologetically Muslim. Even though she is poor, there is time spent on the pages detailing the feeling of Eid al Adha, the familial togetherness and community festiveness even if it all is meager, it still has value. I also really like the relationship between Nura and Faisal. They drive each other crazy and have nothing in common, but they never give up on each other. They act like siblings, tolerating each other’s annoying quirks, while never wavering on their concern and worry for one another. It is sweet and well fleshed out.

The threading of education was also done well. Nura finds the idea of school repulsive, but it grows and changes as the obstacle of being illiterate slows her down, and ultimately she changes her mind. The growth arc is subtle, but powerful, and Nura’s intellect, cleverness, and ingenuity is never dimmed as a result of her lack of formal schooling.

The characters, even the “bad” ones are given some depth and sympathetic qualities, and Nura has to recognize some of her own flaws and choices as she journeys through the book. Desi culture is present primarily in food and clothing, but it adds depth to the story and flavor to the experience.

The food eating competition, however, didn’t really impress me. I get that it was to flesh out the jinn world and show Nura’s smartness, but I thought the jinn in the water were eaten, only to have them reappearing, and the founding premise is that jinn are tricksters, so to have Nura tricking them seems to blur the lines of integrity. Also the bird was critical, and then never seen again, the scene just didn’t read as tightly edited or as clear as it should have in my opinion.

I didn’t love that a casino either, or that it was so central to the story. If it would have said something about gambling being haram and jinn being free to do what they want, like it did when discussing how Eid is celebrated by non practicing jinn, I might have not been as bothered, but it seems an odd setting nonetheless, for a middle grade book.

FLAGS:

Gambling, child labor, indentured servitude, magic, fantasy, jinn, destruction, bombing, fire, death, fear.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I think this could work as a middle school book club read. It is a little below level and age, but there is a lot to discuss and connect with, that I think it would be a lot of fun. Our school is ok with fantasy reads, so for us it definitely deserves a place on the bookshelf in a classroom, school library, and possibly (depending on your views of fantasy) a home library.

May9

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

Posted on May 9, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

It is hard to believe that this book is middle grade- the world building, the social and political commentary, the authenticity, the history, the humor, the writing quality, the richness, really makes me embarrassed that as a child I never gravitated towards books like this. Everything I love about contemporary fiction seems to be done so well in the handful of fantasy books I’ve read of late, add in layers of adventure, imagination, and nuance, and I don’t know why I took so long to embrace this genre. Not to say every MG fantasy is written this well, but why settle for only friendship, family, and identity issues when you can have all of it and dragons? This 352 page book about a Chinese American Hui Muslim kid is action packed, culture rich, unapologetically Muslim, and a gripping good time. While I think lower MG could handle and enjoy the book, there is nothing explicit, it does in passing mention eunuchs, concubines, and adult entertainment, along with the main character stating that he is not attracted to girls a few times and that he acts like a girl, but presents as a boy, thus making me think middle school aged might be a better fit. If younger kids read it, they may or may not even pause or notice the aforementioned possible flags, I only highlight them, so that my readers are aware and can be prepared to explain and discuss if needed. As an adult reading it, I can see clearly that Zach is gay, but I don’t know that most kids will catch it. The author skillfully hints at it, but doesn’t make it the focus of the story, ultimately making me feel like if you want to see it you will, if you don’t, you probably won’t. Oh and the chapter titles, they are awesome!

SYNOPSIS:

Zachary Ying is twelve and while he isn’t comfortable in his Maine school, he manages. He dumps the delicious Chinese food his mom makes every day so that no one teases him for the smell it carries. He tries to impress the other members of the Mythrealm club, a vr video game, without rocking the boat, and he loves his single mom who works hard since his father was killed in China advocating for the rights of Uyghurs. He knows little about Chinese history, the language, or myths, but that all starts to change when his VR gaming headset becomes the host for the spirit of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.

His mom becomes the target of demons and when her soul is taken, Zachary is off to China to secure the barrier that divides the worlds and keeps the spirits at bay. To do that though he is going to need to learn Chinese history, the power of artifacts, and the role of myths in keeping stories alive. With two friends, also possessed by past emperors, joining him, the adventure is non stop.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that Ramadan is mentioned on the very first page, that Zach’s mom wears hijab, that he only eats halal, and that details about life in China for Muslims is shared. It isn’t the main part of the story, but it adds such a powerful layer, that I found myself looking up Hui Muslims and trying to rectify how little I know about Islam in China.

The social commentary about which individuals from history are remembered and why some are celebrated and others vilified was so impressive to see in a MG fantasy book. It doesn’t ask you to agree with the narrative, nor does it preach anything, it just presents it in all its beautiful shades of gray glory albeit often shrouded in humor. I truly feel that most MG authors talk down to their readers, if these themes can be so strongly presented and consumed, what superficial fluff did I waste my time reading as a preteen? Thankfully I’m an adult that loves juvenile fiction, so there is still hope for me yet.

FLAGS:

Magic, mythical gods, fighting, violence, lying, deceit, killing, crushes, same sex attraction, concubines are mentioned as are eunuchs, but nothing more is said about them. Affairs and mistresses in context to myths and past emperors are mentioned.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t know if I could teach this. Once you sense that he is gay it is hard to unsee, and in an Islamic school, that would be problematic. I will have my own kids read the book, I don’t think there would be any concerns for me there. A few weeks ago concubines were mentioned in a khutbah, so I’ve already had to explain that to one of my kids.

PRE-ORDER BEFORE MAY 10, 2022 or PURCHASE AFTER HERE

Apr29

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

Posted on April 29, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I was a little nervous to read an adult fantasy book with jinns, both in terms of length and knowing I would undoubtedly compare it to the Daevabad trilogy, but I got an ARC and dove in. I was put off by the use of gods, and that there was no Islam present at all. I’m not sure if the author identifies as Muslim, or what her background is, so I told myself I’d read at least 25% and then state I didn’t finish it because I primarily review juvenile fiction with Islamic content or by Muslim authors. Well, lets suffice it to say that arbitrary percentage came and went and I had no intention of putting the book down. So why am I featuring it? Simple, it is clean and I liked it. Aside from the plural little g gods, the book is Arab culture rich as a retelling of the Arabian Nights, according to @muslimmommyblog the Arabic is accurate, the story is engaging, and really my only question is, why isn’t it YA? I have a handful of reasons why I focus on children and teen lit, but one very strong one is that the books are “cleaner” in theory. Lately though, it has been hard finding YA that followers of my reviews can confidently share with teen readers. I think this one, although it isn’t a religious mirror, the salaams, culture, Arabic, and storyline, tinge the framing and make it a fun “safe” read to suggest to our kids. At 480 pages, it probably is best for ages 15 and up, and it ends on a cliff hanger, so I’m not sure what the next book might introduce, just be aware this review is for this book alone.

SYNOPSIS:

Layla aka Loulie aka The Midnight Merchant hunts and sells magic jinn relics that she locates with the help of her jinn bodyguard Qadir. After her tribe was slaughtered by a mysterious army, and she the only survivor, Qadir and her have been a team. When her skills align with the needs of a powerful sultan she is forced to go on a journey with his son, the prince and one of his 40 thieves, to find a magic lamp that will lead her to answers about her past, offer her chances of revenge, test her abilities, plague her with loss, and fill the pages with adventure. Stories of the One Thousand and One Nights are weaved in through oral storytelling, world building is built and explored through the characters’ understanding their world and the jinn, and the non stop action keeps the story moving forward with minimal dialogue and a lot of high energy showing. Clearly if I say too much, the excitement will be lost, and I don’t want to spoil the characters’ arcs, their foibles, their illusions, and the climax- seeing as it is a linear story and if the motivation to move forward is lost, the book will lose its charm.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book keeps pace pretty well, a lot of the spoilers are not dragged out and I appreciate that they are not used to dangle the reader’s interest. The story has depth, the characters are fleshed out, and the truth and illusion reveals are done without insulting the reader. I’m still undecided about the (SPOILER) comic book quality of death for the main characters, but it keeps it interesting, so for now at least, I’ll play along.

There aren’t a lot of characters, but there are a lot of names for each character and at times in the thick of fast paced action sequences, I did get a little confused as to what was happening to whom and who was saying what.

I don’t truly understand why the divinity is plural or why they say salaam, but nothing else “Islamic” is remotely present save the concept of jinn. I suppose though for all the fantasy books that use Islamic terms and imagery and then present them horribly, I should be glad that this one really doesn’t conflate the two, but an athan in the background or a few inshaAllahs, sigh I suppose a girl can dream.

FLAGS:

Language, violence, murder, killing, deceit, minor seduction, betrayal. Very clean not just for an adult fantasy, clean for most any YA or Teen book.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

It would be a bit of a pivot for me to feature this book as a book club selection because there is plural deities and NO Islam, but it is very tempting to suggest it to the high school advisor. The book comes out May 17, 2022, you can preorder it which helps show support, or order after it releases on Amazon.

Feb25

Zahra’s Trip to Misr by Sufiya Ahmed

Posted on February 25, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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This middle grade series has been highly recommend to me numerous times over the years, and I finally found a copy to read and review. It is book three in the series, and I have not read the first two, so I may be missing something, but the book didn’t wow me honestly. The 147 page story published in 2011 has a lot of potential, but I felt like it didn’t know who the audience would be, and thus often felt cumbersome and disjointed to read. At times it uses Islamic terms (muezzin), other times the Urdu words (namaz), and way too often the english meanings (ablution, peace be upon you, mosque), often all three in a single paragraph. It is Islamic fiction and stays adventurous, without getting overly preachy and didactic, but there are some cruel life threatening antics by the girls, and some heavy themes of child trafficking, revenge, kidnapping, lying, bullying, gender treatment in Islamic spaces, finance and micro loans, but to its credit, it stays on level and, while as a mom some of the adventure needs adult intervention, I think young readers would support the young girls handling so much on their own.

SYNOPSIS:

Twelve year old Zahra and her classmates from her Islamic boarding school are headed on a class trip from England to Egypt. For ten days they will be learning about the history, the culture, and connecting to Islam. A group of first year girls and their chaperones in a foreign country meet with former students, another girls school from the UK, and some of their chaperone’s husbands giving this short book a lot of characters to get to know briefly, and only in passing.

The adventure starts right away as bully Saira locks a claustrophobic girl in the airplane lavatory in revenge of being locked in a freezer and forced to eat spiders earlier in the school year, and the foreshadowing that these battles are not over is set. Once in Egypt, the girls muddle through worksheets sharing what they have learned, stopping to pray, and enjoying the experience. Every so often at the hotel however, they see a girl they have dubbed, “sad girl” and the mystery to figure out what is making her so sad will ultimately make this a trip that brings the girls close to danger, and if successful will make them heroes. Toss in a nasheed concert, a runaway camel, and it is going to be a busy week and a half for them all.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book presents a lot of Islam, and I think most readers will learn something and see Islam practiced authentically. There is praying, and wearing hijabs, and halal meat, and Islamic history, and the 99 names of Allah all present in the characters naturally.

The book starts with Zahra and her mom and aunt rushing to the airport, they are running late. Zahra’s aunt is not Muslim and presumably her mom is a convert, there is some really awkward dialogue before the family leaves, and it is called out as being awkward, but it just didn’t seem to fit either. Why would a girl’s brother tell a non Muslim to wear a scarf? A character that is just in the first scene? I’m hoping there is more to her as a character in the first two books, and maybe this is a reference to something, but it just reads really weird and unrealistic (I hope).

Similarly, I am sure the first two books cover the forcing a bully to eat spiders and why she was locked in a freezer, but to just see that this is the level of the pranks, is a little disturbing. The book acknowledges that locking a girl in a bathroom who has claustrophobia is dangerous, and that triggering the camel to run-off was similarly potentially deadly, but what about the other cruelties? It doesn’t even hint that there is more there, and I would have liked to see some context to recognize that these aren’t benign pranks, they are pretty big acts.

The child trafficking and kidnapping plot really had me wishing that the girls at least talked to Anu Apa. Having preteens take on such a dangerous situation so haphazardly was a little stressful for me, and I need to find some middle grade readers to help me see the actions through their eyes.

The randomness of the nasheed concert didn’t seem to fit for me, the song she wrote wasn’t that good, the whole thing came together too easily, and then some of the girls taking off their hijabs in wildness seemed such an odd tangent to me.

The biggest obstacle for me was the terminology and diction. I don’t think it matters if the readers are Muslim or not, use the Islamic terms. The teachers and students go to an Islamic school, it isn’t a stretch to have them use the proper term of salat instead of namaz, they can remark on the athan, not azan, they can say Assalamualaikum, they don’t need to say in english peace be upon you, and upon you when they greet, it seems so halting to the authenticity of the characters and flow of the story.

I think part of the difficulty in getting these books in the US is they just had one edition printed, and I genuinely hope that at some point the author will revisit the books especially now that she has been published mainstream for her other works, and hopefully grown as an author. There is a lot of good in the book, it just could use some polishing and updating.

FLAGS:

Child trafficking, revenge, kidnapping, lying, bullying, cruel pranks, physical assault.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I wouldn’t go out of my way to get these books on a classroom shelf based on this one book. If a classroom or library already has them, I wouldn’t remove them. Utlimately, I don’t know that many readers will stick with the sorting out of all the characters in the beginning of the book, and those that do I think would probably be slightly disappointed, not with the presentation of Islam, but in the side story building details.