Tag Archives: Arabic

May5

I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib

Posted on May 5, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

I was hesitant to read the book, afraid it would pit the author’s two cultures (Egyptian and Filipino) and faiths (Catholic and Muslim) that her parents identified with against each other. Raised as the daughter of immigrants from very different backgrounds in California I was very pleasantly surprised that the book leads with heart and positivity for the unique, yet universal feelings she experienced in her life. The short 156 page red, white, and blue filled pages are funny, poignant, and reflective, that I think high school readers and up will enjoy spending time in Cerritos and Egypt through the eyes of Malaka. It is easy to say that you can’t be Muslim and Catholic, but she doesn’t opine on the right or wrong of it in large terms, she discusses her life and her own situation. As a teacher I would see students that would attend Islamic school five days a week and then go to church on Sundays, whether you agree with the choices this author/character makes is not what I intend to review, it is her life, but rather the manner in which it is shared. There are many kids out there from “conflicting” backgrounds, and to see someone take the love and benefits offered to forge their own path in creating their own American dream, was a nice twist on the immigrant identity finding narrative.

SYNOPSIS:

The book starts with introductions to the characters, her family members that influence her, and then begins the tales of what brought her Filipino mother and Egyptian father to America, how they met, married, started a family, and divorced. Malaka exists outside her family in school, balancing her heritage and coming of age. Raised during the school year by her mother and extended Filipino family, she spends summers in Egypt where her father resides with his new wife and children. Coming of age as an immigrant, balancing cultures, religions, school, and dreams, the book concludes with her marrying a white Southerner and adding to the mix.

WHY I LIKE IT:

Even though she identifies more as Filipino American and goes to Catholic school, there is a fair amount of Islam and Egyptian culture included in the book. I love that she loves her step mom and step siblings and finds beauty in Islam, learns to pray, read Quran, and mentions her love of Prophet Muhammad saw. Sure as an Islamic school librarian, I wish she chose Islam, lived it and centered it in her life, but this is not a character, this is a real person, and to see her lovingly showing the goodness in Islam and how it has positively influenced her, is nice to see nonetheless. There are a few storylines I didn’t quite understand, the skateboarding in Egypt a big one, but the quick pace of her narrative life-story flows well and is easily consumable. Often stories like this are overly dragged down by dated pop cultural references and over criticizing “othering” paradigms, but this book contains enough to keep it grounded without it alienating contemporary readers.

FLAGS:

Stereotypes, lying, relationships, periods, music, dancing, nothing really stands out, there might have been some language, I read it a few days ago and honestly don’t recall anything overly problematic, but content wise it is a mature teenage read with retrospection and marriage being a part of the narrative.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I don’t know that I would shelve or teach this book, but I think it is one to file away in my head for people I might encounter looking for a book about blended faiths and cultures benefitting from the many worlds they have one foot in and one foot out of, and those ultimately looking for a place to see their experiences mirrored.

I found my copy of this book at my local public library and it is also available here from Amazon.

Apr24

Egyptian Lullaby by Zeena M. Pliska illustrated by Hatem Aly

Posted on April 24, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Egyptian Lullaby by Zeena M. Pliska illustrated by Hatem Aly

There was a time in college when my friends and I would gift each other Cinderella retellings and versions from all over the world, that was nearly 20 years ago, and I haven’t thought much of it, until this book reminded again of “This is the House that Jack Built.” Having just read and reviewed “The Masjid that Kamal Loves” which is structed similarly, I can confidently say forget Cinderella, I’m loving this new trend, of a repetitive layered story conveying love and excitement and joy to little readers in such an engaging way. This book has more of a story than the original and shows relationships and longing, even though it is primarily a love letter to Cairo. The swapping out in some verses for Arabic words and English translations, the sound affects and the connections really elevate the OWN voice details in the text and make the book an absolute treat to read and share even for those of us who are not Egyptian and have never visited. The Auntie who visits wears hijab, the muezzin calling Allah u Akbar is a repeated refrain, their are numerous illustrations of women in hijab and a masjid is shown repeatedly throughout allowing Muslims everywhere to feel seen with this culturally specific story. The Glossary with the Arabic script and pronunciation guides and Notes from the Author and Illustrator really radiate with love and invite the reader to participate in the celebration on the pages. I have no doubt children (and their parents) three and up everywhere will fall in love with the 40 page story and delightful illustrations.

Auntie Fatma comes to visit a little girl’s family from Egypt and brings sahlab and changes for two weeks to the home. Arabic is spoken, and a nightly lullaby of the sounds of Cairo are among the beloved additions to connect the little girl to her Auntie and her culture.

The lullaby begins with the sound of the Nile, the boats floating through the city, the athan calling to prayer, the carts on the streets, the traffic. The halawa ya battekh, swish, swoosh, swish, Allah u Akbar, beep honk toot, all add layers to the bustle of the city as the little girls memories of the sights and sounds of Egypt soothe her to sleep. When it is time for Auntie to return the little girl’s sadness is palpable, but Auntie finds a way to reassure her and all those that have drunk from the Nile and long to return.

It is hard to say if the text adds to the illustrations or the illustrations to the story, both combine to make this book impossible to read without smiling. I love that the mosque is shown in the daytime and at night implying that the call to prayer is not a one time thing without articulating that Muslims pray five times a day. I don’t know if the author identifies as Muslim or if the inclusion of the athan and Allah u Akbar is just an environmental reality of Egyptian daily life and thus featured. The illustrator could have very well added the hijabs on his own as there is nothing religious or explanatory in the text. Perhaps it is worth noting that there is a dog in the family’s home that seems to sleep with the little girl. The book is a cultural heartfelt portrayal, and that Islam is prominently featured so beautifully made for a lovely surprise.

I hope you will consider preordering the book here, requesting it at your library, and sharing it on classroom and home bookshelves. Happy Reading!

Mar29

Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love by Randa Abdel-Fatteh illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke

Posted on March 29, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love by Randa Abdel-Fatteh illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke

It has been a long time since I took Arabic in college, so I read the book, then read it again, then wrote down all the Arabic words and realized that there are 11 words in addition to “al Hob” the word for love, and that al Hob is mentioned three times in the manner of a poetic refrain. I also didn’t grasp the first time that the book is a journey of a refugee family and the types of love are them in different phases of their journey. Once I got it, I’m not sure how I missed it, but I think the layers that the book allows for actually widens the appeal to a larger audience. I know for many Muslims seeing a 40 page picture book about love will raise some eye brows and wonder about what relationships are shown. There are a few phrases that imply romantic love most illustrated abstractly, one shows a bride and groom on their wedding day (al-Ishq), there are also an elderly hetero couple in front of the Dome of the Rock (Showq). The story follows one family and their suitcase is rainbow colored and when depicting loving one’s neighbors (al-Mahabba), there are rainbow stripes on the fence, if a rainbow means or doesn’t mean something to you I simply share what is there. There is friendship love (al-Wud) and familial relationship love, and love from pets (al- Walaa’) and love felt for those gone too soon (al-Haneen). The Arabic script for each word of love and the lyrical English string together the concept of different forms of love with the illustrations telling the story. There is nothing particularly Islamic in the book, but there are visible Muslims in the illustrations and the masjid in Palestine.

I’m obviously not an Arab speaker, so if I misunderstood a term, forgive me, I don’t want to list all the terms, because that would give away too much of the book, but as a non Arab the book is heartfelt and moving and I’m sure for Arab speakers the feelings would be amplified.

The book was released in Australia in 2022 you can purchase it from Book Depository and will be released in America in 2023, you can preorder it here.

Mar12

The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

Posted on March 12, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

This 40 page early elementary picture book is set the night before Eid and radiates with love from a boy to his Teita, traditional ka’ak, and the family’s Egyptian culture. The robust and personal backmatter shares a glimpse into the threads from the author’s real life that the story touches upon, and makes the book extend beyond the pages. It is worth noting that this book does not articulate if it is for Eid al Fitr or Eid al Adha and thus works for both. There is nothing religious in the book except a reference to something happening after Eid prayer in a memory, and the shape of the cookie being round like the Ramadan moon, Eid day is not mentioned, it is simply the catalyst for this warm family story about a boy and his grandma making a special treat for the first time and sharing it at school. The large hardback book with fun illustrations is ideal for both story time and bedtime readings alike.

It is the night before Eid and Teita has arrived from Egypt. Zain can’t wait to make ka’ak to take to school and share with his friends. The beloved powdered sugar cookies are steeped in tradition, both in Zain’s family and in Egyptian history. Once the suitcases is unpacked and the special ingredients found, Teita and Mama share memories of baking with cousins, painting henna designs on hands and putting eidiya in envelopes. The family recalls singing together on the balcony while Geddo played the tabla and lights and lanterns filled the streets below, after Eid prayer they would hand out the ka’ak.

Zain wants the ka’ak to turn out perfectly so his teacher and friends will like them. Teita tells him that ka’ak is as old as the ancient pharaohs, and that recipes were found in the pyramids. At one time rulers would even put gold coins in the cookies. Zain and his Teita mix and add the required ingredients, and drink iced apricot juice as they wait for the dough to be just right. Getting the cookies pressed with the molds though is harder than it looks, and Zain gets frustrated. Teita’s love and patience and Zain’s clever thinking get the treat making back on track. The ka’ak doesn’t have a gold coin filling, but they are filled with tradition.

The timeline is a bit off for me with the grandma coming before Eid and then the cookies going to school on Monday, and then Monday evening when Zain is writing down the recipe with Teita he is telling her Eid Mubarak and that it is the best Eid ever. So, it seems that he went to school on Eid, not to Eid prayers, which is fine, just a little sad that there was no Eid celebration or prayers. I don’t know that kids will be bothered by it, but the lack of mirroring and stressing how joyous Eid is does somehow get lost and mitigated, in my opinion, by skipping acknowledgement of the religious holiday. In the backmatter the author remarks that she has “outgrown the magic of Eid,” so perhaps it is intentional that the day is not included in the text.

The last six pages of the book are filled with informative and engaging information about What is Eid, Ka’ak Time Line, A Note from the Author with photographs of her and her family celebrating Eid, a Simple Ka’ak Recipe and Additional Resources.

I purchased my copy from Crescent Moon Store where if you put my initials ISL (Islamic School Librarian) in at checkout you will save 10% or is available here on Amazon where the book currently has a coupon for $3.80 off.

Sep30

Ida in the Middle by Nora Lester Murad

Posted on September 30, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Ideal for middle school readers (upper mg/lower ya), this magical realism book takes readers from middle school in American to a Palestinian village outside of Jerusalem through the consumption of some magical olives. Written by a Jewish author married to a Palestinian Muslim who raised their three daughters in Palestine, the book features a lot of Islam, but is Palestinian centered in its insight, critique, culture, and dreams. Over 224 pages, Ida starts to find where she fits in both in understanding her self within her family, her place in America, her passion in life, and what it means to be Palestinian. The story is important, and is told in a way that will encourage readers to learn more about the occupation. Nuances are shown in characters and groups, but the line that the occupation is oppressive is never compromised. I appreciate that the author writes from her own experiences and openly acknowledges that she is not trying to take away from Palestinian born and raised OWN voice stories, but she is an advocate, she has raised her children and lived in the West Bank, and her characters reflect a sense of intimate knowledge, love, and appreciation. Even with Ida having to decide to stay in America or Palestine, the two countries are not pitted against each other or seen as black or white, as to which is better or worse, the middle is where much of the story takes place, and appreciating your culture no matter how much others are trying to erase your existence, is always stressed.

SYNOPSIS:

Ida is the middle child of her Palestinian immigrant family and isn’t artistic like her younger sister, a ballet dancer like her older sister, or a soccer player like her father. She wishes she was invisible. Especially when her classmates turn on her every time there are conflicts in the middle east. When it seems that everyone wants to diminish her heritage, she finds herself at a new school, unsure of where she fits in. With anti Palestinian attitudes and Islamophobic people, Ida just wants to go unnoticed, unfortunately middle school requires a passion project to be presented and Ida has no idea what her passions are, and how she will face the crowds.

One day when looking for a snack she finds a jar of olives stuffed in a cupboard- olives brought by a family friend from her now deceased aunt in Busala, one bite and she is magically transported to the familial village. It is an alternate reality of what life would be if her parents never came to America. Not only is she in a country she has never seen before, meeting family members she has never met before, but even her own parents and sisters are somehow different. She enjoys the warmth, the communal activities, the extended family. Her mom in hijab, the athan being heard, the men all going for jummah, but then they sit down for a meal and the same olives are served and Ida accidently takes a bite and is whisked back home.

Once home, she longs for so much of Palestinian life, but relishes in the convenience and ease of America as well. Her passion project still looms and she finds herself hoping to escape it by going back to Palestine. When she finds herself back near Jerusalem she ventures out with her Aunt, who isn’t dead in this reality, and learns more about the occupation and oppression, and how the families interact with the various Israelis: some sympathetic to Palestinians, some actively working to help Palestinians, and some settlers- forcefully killing and bulldozing Palestinian homes.

When Israeli military troops enter their village, the families meet to discuss the best course of action, the families do not agree, there is no clear way to prepare, there is no guarantee of survival. Ida starts to find her voice, and when the soldiers enter, Ida finds herself rushing out to help a small boy. Guns, demolition, rocks, tear gas, fear, so much fear, what can one person do? What can one village do? What will Ida do?

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book is relatable and moving, not just for those with a tie or interest in Palestine. It is a coming of age story that shows a girl grappling with forces so much bigger than herself, while at the same time dealing with homework and friends and stereotypes. Ida has a lot to figure out and the book doesn’t sugar coat a happy ending, it simply provides a moving story based on reality, through a character whose quirks and personality you find yourself rooting for.

I love the presence of Islam and the way it is apart of Ida and her surroundings, even though she makes it clear early on that her family is not religious. The Quran is mentioned, the athan, various salat, hijab, Hajj, Ayatul Kursi, Ramadan, Eid, wasting food as being haram. In Boston her friend knows she doesn’t eat pork, she went to Sunday school to learn Arabic at the mosque when she was younger. It doesn’t gush with Islam, but it is present, for example Ida’s sister and her joke about a good Palestinian girl shouldn’t have a boyfriend, it isn’t tied to their religion. The story is a Palestinian one, and as someone who is not Palestinian, the images, the foods, the smells, the love all seemed to embrace everything I’ve ever heard Palestinian friends talk about, and it feels like a warm hug to read the effects being in Palestine has on Ida.

I love that the author is upfront about her perspective, and I love that she is putting this story out there. The writing is sufficient: I was invested in the story, and it was an easy read. I don’t know that I’ll remember it months from now for it’s imagery or power, but I’m certain I’ll remember the commentary about life under occupation and the struggle to not be erased by a world that doesn’t seem to care about the settlers still taking Palestinian homes and their way of life away by force.

FLAGS:

Fear, crushes, death, injuries, loss, magic, bullying, racism, Islamophobia, guns, physical assault, threat of force, destruction.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Our school is majority Palestinian. Years ago when we read Where the Streets Had a Name, I learned so much about the students, their families, their own experience living under oppression, that I can’t wait to present this book with the middle schoolers and take notes on their thoughts. I would not lead the discussion, I would let them, their voices will not be erased by me.

Preorder available here: Amazon

Sep5

Egypt by Aya Khalil illustrated by Magda Azab

Posted on September 5, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Egypt by Aya Khalil illustrated by Magda Azab

This sweet board book is part of a series, the other two books are Japan and France, releasing in October. All are brightly illustrated, 20 page books for ages zero to four and take the littlest of readers into a country, through sights, experiences, foods and language. This particular book does not feature any visible #muslimsintheillustrations but the author is Muslim, and so I am reviewing and sharing it here.

The framing of the book is a day in the life of a little girl, who wakes up with bosas from her mama and baba and greetings of Ahlan. Some of the words are written in Arabic script with the English transliteration and pronunciation provided, other times it is just the English transliteration of the Arabic with the pronunciation asterisked and written smaller immediately below the text.

Once she is awake, she gets dressed, brushes her teeth and is off with her baba to buy pita and ful. The busy street offers sights to see and fruits to pick from. She ponders and asks herself and the readers which one to choose.

At her Teita and Geddos there is dancing and tabla playing before walking back home along the Corniche. Dinner is served and bedtime has arrived. The book concludes with a summary of her day linking the Arabic words to the illustrations and English meaning, as well as some pronunciation tips for the Arabic sounds.

As a Muslim reviewer I had to hope there might be one hijab clad woman in the illustrations, I know many Muslims don’t cover and Egypt is diverse, but considering the lens I review from, I feel obligated to state that opinion.

A little more critically, I was a bit surprised on the page with the colorful boats that the color names yellow, blue, and purple, were not included in Arabic and only in English. Seemed that would have been an naturally and easy inclusion.

Overall, the book did a good job of celebrating Egypt without over explaining, keeping it bright and engaging for toddlers. I really like the language being shared in a story context, not just a book with a picture on it and words in different languages. I also liked that while the details were Egypt specific, there were also pages that were universal.

Available for preorder and purchase here

Aug22

That’s Not My Name by Anoosha Syed

Posted on August 22, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I have been looking forward to this book, as I’ve enjoyed so many of the illustrations the author has created for other authors, and was anxious to see what kind of story she would write for her own authorial debut. Unfortunately, the book didn’t wow me. It is rather forgettable, the book conflates notions of not being able to pronounce someone’s name with not being memorable and with not having a “normal” name, and then recognizing how so many classmates have unique names too. A bit scattered in messaging, and overall reading like an adult talking, not a young girl of four or five, on her first day of school. No doubt the illustrations are beautiful, and the book isn’t “bad” or a “waste of time,” but it isn’t a strong clear story. I’ve seen reviews where people find the little girl rude, and I don’t know that I’d agree with that, she is frustrated and wants to scream, “that’s not my name” when people say it wrong, but I do agree that she could model what to say better and how to handle it. Not that I expect those with uncommon names to have to carry the weight of making things easy, but the little girl at the end remarks that she has so many new friends at school with “unique, beautiful names, and she always makes sure she says them right,” implying that some dialogue, both about her name and about theirs, takes place to ensure pronunciation is correct, and some “showing” of how that is achieved would be nice. Before the story starts, on the title page, there is a pronunciation breakdown of Mirha, but not in the text itself. There is nothing Islamic in the book, the Grandmother wears a scarf loosely draped over her head, there is a crescent and moon wall hanging in an illustration, and the girl’s name is claimed to be Arabic in origin.

The book starts with it being Mirha’s first day of school. She is excited to learn, to play, and to make friends, but when no one seems to be able to say her name, she starts to feel shy. Frustrated and sad she decides to change her name, and tells her mom when she gets home. Her mother tells her, her name is beautiful and why she was named what she is named. She builds her up and the next day armed with her mother’s words she is ready to make friends and teach them how to say her name. By the end of the book Mirha has friends, and wants to be your (the reader’s) friend too.

The voice of the book is inconsistent at times it feels very older kid, almost adult, even though the 40 page book is meant for three to five year olds. The examples read like an adult reflecting on their childhood struggles with their name, not as a young girl finding her voice and appreciation for the name she has.

When Hayden asks if he can call her Maya instead of Mirha it is because Maya is easier. Kids are hearing all sorts of names for the first time when they enter school, that conversation seems so forced. Whether the kids are in preschool or daycare or kindergarten, most of the names they are hearing of their classmates are being heard for the first time. If they watch a lot of tv and YouTube and movies, they have heard a whole variety of names, they are not going to have a dialogue that sounds like that, at that age, just not realistic. Similarly after the first day of school she wants to change her name to something “normal?” What is a “normal” name even, then the mom even reinforces that notion when saying she knows she named her something “unique and different.” A concept that returns at the end when asserting that Mirha has friends with lots of unique names. Seems to go in circles.

I appreciate that examples are given about not seeing your name on keychains or having the barista get it right, but again, she is under the age of five, are these really her points of reference for having a less common name than those around her? When her mother is making the case that she shouldn’t change her name she references that names such as Beethoven and Tchaikovsky and Michelangelo are memorable. First of all, what (under) five year old knows those names or who those people are, and second of all, now her name is not memorable? I thought it was hard to pronounce? Has she done something worthy of history books and admiration? I get what the author is trying to do, I often tell my students that they need to demand people say their names right. If they can rattle off names from Pokemon, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Beyblades, they can say the beautiful names they have been given. But the kids I am saying it to are not in preschool, nor am I conflating the pronunciation of their names with being names of famous people that are memorable. Additionally, I do not speak Arabic, but a quick Google search does not show that Mirha means happiness in Arabic, and I have heard from native Arab speakers that they also found the meaning off.

The illustrations are engaging, the broader message of getting people’s name right and demanding people get your name right is important, it just needed a more age aligning voice and connecting with the reader.

Jul18

Where Butterflies Fill the Sky: A Story of Immigration, Family, and Finding Home written and illustrated by Zahra Marwan

Posted on July 18, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Where Butterflies Fill the Sky: A Story of Immigration, Family, and Finding Home written and illustrated by Zahra Marwan

This 48 page picture book shows the journey of a young girl from one desert to another. The soft water colors in this author illustrated book tell so much of the story and illuminate the prose. For me the most powerful part of the book was the backmatter. The learning why the family had to move from Kuwait to New Mexico was new and interesting and gave the story a lot of depth. I read it to my 6 and 3 year old and it couldn’t hold their attention, the book is not text heavy, but is is long. I think had I read the author’s note at the end first, before sharing it with my kids, we could have discussed the pages a bit more. I think the added framing and context would have increased connection and engaged them. The book shows one aunt in hijab, Allah swt written in Arabic and a picture of the kaba hanging on the walls of their home, a hand of Fatima as well. There is music and dancing and connections between family, strangers, cultures, and people.

The book starts by establishing the rich and loving life the little girl enjoys in her home: butterflies, swimming in the sea, family. It then fades to being held close and the stress of people saying they don’t belong. The next step is the family having to leave their extended family and say their good-byes.

They arrive in a new place, not talking like others, questioning the connections of their ancestors in this far away land. Eventually there are some similarities, and then the music of a guitarron is heard and people dance and there is joy.

The shift opens up a feeling of home, and connections are not lost, and a new comfort is felt in a place where hot air balloons fill the sky.

As an adult I appreciated the paradigm shift of not being welcome in their home elsewhere and being welcome in America, it is subtle but a nice change. I love a lot of details come full circle. I think the book would be a good tool not for the intended 4-8 crowd, but for older kids in a teaching setting. There are a lot of subtle story telling techniques that could be discussed, stereotype assumptions challenged in a nudging way, and offer social studies and political discussions.

Jun20

Lina, the Tree and the Woodcutter by Eman Salem

Posted on June 20, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Lina, the Tree and the Woodcutter by Eman Salem

I’ve enjoyed another book in this bilingual series, Little Tree Goes for Hajj, and was excited to see little tree all grown up and the focus of a book on the environment. The 22 pages in Arabic and English start out promising, setting the stage, establishing the familiar characters, discussing caring for trees and not harming them for no purpose, but then the book just kind of ends. It is wordy, the English anyway, I cannot comment on the Arabic, but it is sweet and warm in its own Islamic fiction way. I didn’t feel like a glossary was needed, it mentions Allah in the text and seems meant for Muslims, so why the definitions of Allah, Hajj, and Mecca are included is a bit odd especially when it uses Christianity and Judaism in the explanation of the oneness of Allah.

Little tree is now an old tree and was a friend of Lina’s grandfather, they had traveled to hajj together. As they sit chatting, they hear a horrible noise and discover it is a woodcutter chopping down a tree. When the young man stumbles upon the talking tree and Lina they question his motives.

He wasn’t chopping wood for fuel, or to build a home, he was just chopping it because he could. Lina and the old tree explain what was lost with the destruction of the tree and teach him that Allah swt has made people the earth’s caretakers. The woodcutter learns from his mistakes and apologizes.

I wish the book maybe would have made a stronger point that trees take a while to grow and that sorry is well and good, but not enough to restore what was lost. I like that the woodcutter wants to learn more, but a few lines detailing what he learns or that he came every day to sit with them or some sort of ending would have been nice.

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.