Tag Archives: culture

Jun25

Always Be My Bibi by Priyanka Taslim

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Always Be My Bibi by Priyanka Taslim

I had pretty low expectations going into this 368 page YA romcom- as often YA is really “adult” and if the characters/author are Muslim in a “romance” it tends to become a heavy handed rebellion against Islamic principles. So imagine my surprise when the book really is meant for teenage readers. The protagonist loves her culture, and it is established really early on that they are Muslim, but aren’t religious.  Sure as an “Islamic School Librarian,” I wish the characters practiced Islam, and that the the kissing and hugging was labeled as haram, but for the fictional story on the page, that is cultural based, it is a delightfully chaotic and fun read.  Note, the kissing and haramness occurs when they are “sneaking out,” and reads as if they are sneaking out from parental rules, not Islamic ones, as they do not view the world through an Islamic lens.  The protagonist’s sister is presented as religious in that she wears hijab, and left a prestigious private school to attend a local Islamic one, but it is not a major plot point, and if anything shows that Islam is not a monolith or something forced, really though it just shows how different the siblings are.  Does that mean the writing is some literary genius? No, not really, but it is a quick light summer read that I enjoyed. The main character, Habiba, aka Bibi, reads as a Bangladeshi Cher from Clueless through and through, and while at the start it was a bit annoying, I ultimately found her endearing by the end.  There are plot holes, but I didn’t care too much given the quick pace and the nature of the book. The ending though, was drawn out and too long, and the book could have been easily 50 pages shorter. All in all it was fun to be transported to a tea estate in Bangladeshi for a wedding, and I wouldn’t have a problem with 15 – 16 year olds or so reading the book.

SYNOPSIS:

Bibi is in hot water with her father for sneaking off to prom with a boy, the deal has always been no dating until her older, perfect, law school bound, sister Halima gets married.  And her punishment for the summer is working at the family restaurant, one of the many Royal Fried Chicken locations in the chain they started that makes her family, chicken royalty. When hijab wearing, no haram dating Halima springs on her family that she is getting married, the family all heads to Bangladesh for the summer to get to know the groom’s family on the massive tea estate, and celebrate the wedding. Oh and Bibi’s punishment will be transferred from working fast food, to working in the fields under her new brother-in-law to be’s grumpy, serious, younger brother, Sohel.  Bibi also holds her father to his end of the deal and when the big book of biodatas arrives, she is ready to have her chaperoned dates as promised.

As the prickly family of inlaws look down on Bibi and her family, Bibi and surprisingly, Sohel join forces to break the pair up. As the book unfolds their mission changes, the bio data book causes drama, old flames are sought after, and the wedding takes some surprising turns.

WHY I LIKE IT:

As I write this, I’m rolling my eyes at the fact that I really did read it in two sittings and was amused. Bibi is spoiled and clueless and yet does have a good heart.  As with most romantically inclined books, a whole lot of suspension of reality takes place and side characters are not fully fleshed out.  Halima and Sunny met in college, and there families are from the same part of Sylhet, infact Baba worked on the Rahman’s tea estate before coming to America.  The grandma is woefully underdeveloped, I get that she is a side character but the girls spend so little time with this woman they love so dearly is a blaring hole. I really didn’t get some of the scenes after the midpoint, they felt like filler and they felt forced: friends coming from America, the bachelorette party turned amusement park trip, Sohel not sticking up for Bibi, the half hearted love triangle, and the Bibi Baba multiple rehashings.

I did like that the title of the book though comes from something Baba says to Bibi, and not from a love interest, that made me smile. And I liked that the “dates” were supervised, it is vague if the dates in America would have been, or if once Halima was married she would have been allowed to “date” with a western definition, but I kind of liked that it wasn’t defined.

FLAGS:

Disrespect, sneaking out, kissing, hugging, close boy girl friendships, sneaking out, language.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Definitely not a book to spotlight as a book club selection, but one that I would have on the shelf and not mind older high schoolers reading.

May7

Music of the Mountains: A Story in Pakistan by Sabrina Shah illustrated by Manal Mirza

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Music of the Mountains: A Story in Pakistan by Sabrina Shah illustrated by Manal Mirza

Set around an Eid concert in the North-West Frontier in Pakistan, a young girl must find her courage to play the rabab in front of an audience, even though she is still learning her first song. The beautiful illustrations of Manal Mirza and focusing on an under represented population, made me hopeful that this book would transcend the musical focus and weave in Islam and culture. Sadly, though, the book falls victim to cliche lines that mean nothing, and a story that doesn’t make a lot of sense once you move past the superficial attraction. The backmatter infographics about the rabab, where it can be heard, details about the Pathan/Pashtun people, What Eid is, the traditional clothing, and a Pashto Glossary, add to the vibe of the book, but still fail to offer any specific “hospitality, courage, and rich traditions,” that are only ever referenced in generalized terms and statements.

The book starts with Roohi’s favorite time of day, the sun is settling behind the snow capped mountains and her family is gathering around to listen to her grandfather, Neeka Baba, play the rabab. No they aren’t praying maghrib, or breaking their fast, so presumably it is not Ramadan.  When Neeka Baba plays, “songs full of rhythm echo through the cherry blossom hills.  Songs from long ago tell stories of folklore, heroes, and love. . . songs of Roohi’s ancestors.” A beautiful sentiment, but it is not a thesis statement or main idea of the book as we, the reader, never learn about her ancestors, or folklore, or about the culture.” We are just told they all had courage, and she needs to channel that strength.

She will need strength to play the rabab at her school concert, except remember “she hasn’t even learned a whole song yet.” She also worries she won’t be as good as her grandfather, but presumably he has been playing longer and she is just starting, so I never connected why she felt she should be as good as him.  No one in the story compares them, or says she should be as good as him, or even strive to be as good as him.  There is nothing that hints that this is even a part of the characters development other than the repetitive refrain that she must “play with the courage of those who came before her.” So the cathartic release of being told “to play like yourself” also seems forcefully contrived and not a natural arc of growth and understanding.

As Eid creeps closer, Roohi has lessons with her grandfather on the rabab, and then Neeka Baba coughs and is in the hospital. The reader has no idea how this man falls ill, or recovers, if it was sudden or a known affliction, but he is no longer the focus, the rabab is, and so the story continues.

At the school concert, Roohi is introduced as playing music from the North-West Frontier Province.  Hold up, yes I thought I skipped a page.  They live in the North-West Frontier, don’t they, this is a school concert? What an odd introduction, did they travel? At the end there is a “smile as wide as the lush valleys back home.”  When did they leave home? And why a silent prayer, why not a “bismillah.” Isn’t the point of OWN voice to have the little details and the voice that can’t be imitated by researched work?

I am going to spoil the ending, she freezes, Mama and Neeka Baba help her find her beat in the audience and she steals the show so to speak. The ending is sweet, but not anywhere near as heartfelt as it should have been if the audience would have been shown the strength and courage of the Pashtun culture, not just repeatedly told it, felt the warmth of their hospitality, the rich ancestral values that would be threads that manifest in the music that she is hoping to share with others. Sadly we are just expected to know that they all exist and cheer for Roohi to succeed.

Disappointing, considering how fantastic the illustrations are, sigh.

Apr29

Your Friend From Palestine by Nabila Adani

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Your Friend From Palestine by Nabila Adani

This book is absolutely gorgeous, from the raised text on the cover, the sweeping illustrations with tangible details, the Islamic threads, and the heart, but…yeah you knew something critical was coming, the rhyme is not consistent, and the biggest hurdle for me, is that there is no backmatter.  I can’t say that I’m “bringing this up again,” because I don’t know that the debate ever dies down: can you write a book about something personal that you have not lived through? In this case can a non Palestinian write a book from a Palestinian perspective? As a former journalist and long time reader, I still maintain that you can, but backmatter detailing your own limitations, what efforts were made to have the book verified by those with OWN voice experience, and background information on why this is pertinent and relevant are mandatory. And this book does not offer them.  Nothing feels off about the contents, and anyone with a heart, has seen and felt everything on the pages about our brothers and sisters living under occupation and through genocide. So is it a good book, yes. Do I think it has value, yes. But, is it authentic? Is it accurate? Is it enough? Does the focus on hardship and destruction open eyes or diminish Palestinian joy? Why wasn’t a Palestinian brought in to cowrite the book with the author illustrator? Was it sensitivity read? I am not able to answer these questions, I simply bring up my concerns for you to decide for you and your children. While the book ends on hope for a free Palestine, and a safe Gaza, the oppressor is unnamed.

The book starts with children on a beach playing when they find a message in a bottle.  The message is from Khalid, a child in Gaza telling the finder about his life and asking about theirs. He likes to play football, but sometimes it isn’t safe, he likes to read stories but often can’t because there are no lights, and he dreams of swimming in a swimming pool, because they often don’t even have water to drink.

Khalid then tells the finders of the bottle, and thus the readers, to not lose hope, “to hold on to your imaan.” And it highlights what we can all do to help.  “You can pray for us! Send charity! Spread the news!” and tell people about Palestine. So that one day we can meet at the Dome of the Rock, pray at Masjid Al-Aqsa, and be together in a free Palestine, inshaAllah.

The illustrations are beautiful and the framing effective in connecting with readers, and highlighting the similarities before revealing the obstacles. Again why I wish there was backmatter, so that it didn’t feel simplistic, but rather bringing it down to a younger audience level.  With dialogue, explanation, and context, the book can be powerful, but on its own, I feel the lacking authenticity, transparency, and details about Palestine, make the book in need of an update before future reprintings.

Apr27

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

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Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

The author may have returned to her fictional Golden Crescent neighborhood, but with her best writing yet, the focus is not romance like in her earlier books, it is a murder mystery.  If you think of it, who better to solve a mystery than an unassuming Desi Aunty with a knack for observations, getting people to talk, and prying into other people’s business? I say it with love, this book was such a fun read, I’m sure I should have paid more attention to craft and arcs and writing style, but honestly I devoured the 336 pages in two settings, and genuinely hope that Kausar is just getting started. The adult read isn’t salacious, it does feature a murder, some marital dramas, crime, fraud and the like, I think mature teens that aren’t bothered by a grandmother protagonist will enjoy the read. The first chapter is a bit dry and feels like an info dump, luckily it isn’t a long chapter and I ultimately, appreciated it getting the stage set and then slipping out of the way so the story could get good. The telling and not showing takes a while to flesh out, the author does a good job of threading it through, and by the mid point you really get a feel for the characters and appreciate the early statements that set the tone, and the book’s ability to tie up nearly every thread it presents.  There isn’t a ton of Islam, many of the characters are Muslim; the traditions and cultural expectations are plot beats in the story, even if the action and expectations are not overtly seen through an Islamic lens or with Islamic boundaries.  

SYNOPSIS:

Kausar Khan has always noticed things around her, and when needed, used those observations to position certain outcomes.  When she gets a call from her daughter in Toronto that she needs her mom to come help with the kids as he is wanted for murder, Kausar Khan leaves North Bay and returns to a city filled with memories of tragedy to try and help.  Sana asks her mom not to get involved and to just help with the cooking, cleaning, and childcare, but old friends, new secrets, and the high stakes of a murder are not going to keep this Aunty from unraveling the truth.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love the concept, the execution, and that it didn’t unravel at the end.  I read the last few pages with the same intensity as the climax, trying to figure out whodunit.  The play on traditions and stereotypes to lure suspects in, and the wit and charm of using the religion and culture to advance the plot were flawless.  Sure, I wish the characters threw in some commentary on men and women being alone together not being ok, or some Islamic insight into marriages and rights.  It seemed intentionally lacking, and that is unfortunate. I also felt the thread with the son coming from the UK was painfully underdeveloped, the heart of the book though was strong.  And I loved the side commentary on marriage and women’s roles.  It was insightful and added depth, it didn’t come across as angry or like the author had an axe to grind, which was refreshing.  

FLAGS: 
Murder, affairs, fraud, pyramid schemes, theft, racism, gentrification.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
The book won’t work for a school book club, but is a perfect summer read to giggle about and chat about with friends.

Apr24

Mustafa’s Mithai by Sana Rafi illustrated by Nabi H. Ali

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Mustafa’s Mithai by Sana Rafi illustrated by Nabi H. Ali

On the surface this 32 page OWN voice authored and illustrated book is absolutely adorable, a little boy who wants to share mithai’s with his friends and saves a gulab jamun for himself. As a mother of a child named Mustafa, who didn’t have a wedding cake a hundred years ago but flew in gulab jamuns from out of state, this book should be close to my heart, except the story makes no sense. The cultural rep is great, it isn’t religious, but mentions eid, shows Nani in a hijab, and the word Allah in Arabic appears in one of the illustrations on a wall decoration, but take that all away, and the story doesn’t add up.  The first few spreads establish how sad Mustafa is because he can’t eat his beloved mithai as all the holidays, birthdays, and Eid have passed, and mithai is only eaten in celebration.  This is particularly devastating since they have a huge box of leftover mithai. No idea why such a forced build up, but the take away would suggest that wasting leftovers is better, which makes no sense. No worries, Ammi says every day is a celebration, but Mustafa doesn’t acknowledge or build off of what his mother tells him, sticking with his original assessment he decides to have his non Desi friends over for a party to eat the leftovers. Ok, I’ll play along, maybe just the framing is awkward. Nope, after a pizza dinner he picks out a different mithai for each of his friends…and starts with Falooda, a jelly and ice cream drink! Mithai means sweets, so technically it could be a mithai, even if not commonly referred to as one, but surely not a left over one what would still be good, and definitely not one from the box. Another assigned sweet for a friend, is kulfi.  Kulfi is a frozen dessert akin to ice cream, and often served on a stick.  Again, no way it is from the leftover box and not really in the same classification of ladoo, chum-chum, jalebi, and rasmalai.  The illustration shows an apple in the leftover box, and the author’s note seems to suggest a more generalized use of the term, “mithai,” but craft wise, why have the boy build up the framing of when a cultural food genre is consumed, only to walk it back and have it contradict? Why have foods that wouldn’t be leftovers served? I know, I’ll be the minority and I’m over thinking it, but why go through all the effort of trying to be a window to a culture and its foods, having it beautifully bound and illustrated, only to skimp on the actual story part?

The book as stated above, starts with Mustafa wanting mithai, and being sad that nani and nana have left, eid and Baba’s birthday are over, and sweets are only eaten in celebration. Mustafa decides to have some friends over in celebration to eat the left overs and Ammi says “Mithai is always sweetest when shared.”

The kids all arrive and when they look in the big pink box they aren’t sure what they are looking at, Mustafa explains the variations and his friends are at a loss at what to pick.  To solve the dilemma Mustafa offers to match everyone up with a mithai after playing and dinner.

One by one he assigns a sweet to a friend, saving a gulab jamun for himself.  They all want more, and in round two the emboldened guest pick their own making sweet memories indeed. The backmatter is the author’s note explaining mithai, where they come from, the prevalence of dairy, and the role sweets have in Desi culture.

Apr22

The City of Jasmine by Nadine Presley illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee

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The City of Jasmine by Nadine Presley illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee

With a release date of May 6, I really wanted to wait to post a review because the images are gorgeous in the electronic version, and I can only imagine how moving and captive they will be presented in a physical format, but alas I know the importance of presales and am sharing to hopefully encourage you to preorder and/or request from your library, this gorgeous 40 page OWN voice book.  A love letter to Damascus, and the sights, sounds, smells, taste, and feelings that the author remembers despite the mountains and oceans that now separate her, are lyrically shared with readers on a journey through the city. The ethereal lilting of words draw readers of all backgrounds in, and the complimentary gorgeous illustrations convey a palpable sense of beauty, love, and memories of home.  Even on a screen, they force you to get lost in their beauty. The cadence of the words allow natural pauses that tug on your eyes and draw them toward something in the images not seen before, forcing the readers and listeners alike to hesitate before turning the page.

The book starts with a little girl telling where she comes from, “the City of Jasmine,” “the Umayyad Mosque,” “Ghouta,” “Damascus,” “Qasioun,” “Qala’at Dimashq,” headers for spreads rich with poetry, wonder, and longing.

Neighborhoods of diverse families gathering, and sharing the foods that bring people together, and quiet bookshops that facilitate travel through time. Family memories built around orchards and fountains and laughter and love.  So far away from the author now, the memories are not lost, they can be touched when the scent of jasmine is “breathed in, and breathed out.”

The book concludes with an author’s note and a glossary.  Those of us who are not Syrian, and who have never been, after spending time with this book will undoubtedly be tempted to add Damascus to our bucket list of travel plans, and inshaAllah as the country rebuilds such trips will come to fruition.

Apr15

Everything Grows in Jiddo’s Garden by Jenan A. Matari illustrated by Aya Ghanameh

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Everything Grows in Jiddo’s Garden by Jenan A. Matari illustrated by Aya Ghanameh

This sweetly illustrated 32 page rhyming book starts off introducing a little girl living in one place, and having a home in Palestine that she has never been to, but loves.  The book then becomes pretty universal with her and her grandfather talking about what grows, his “green thumb superpowers,” and the magic of planting small trees that change and produce. The pages then add in more Arabic words of what is grown, and then when Jiddo is drying his eyes recounting why he had to flee his home and his roots, I too, found I was emotionally invested in light of everything current and past, and the simple words weaving a heartfelt story of family, connection, and home. I do wish that there was some Islam in the text or illustrations: a dua, a plea to Allah swt, a hijab on a main character not just on background memories, but there is not. There is also nothing overtly political or named in the text. The backmatter does discuss the Nakba without naming names and highlights the author’s inspiration, but inshaAllah nothing that will get the book banned or kept off shelves. The rhyme and cadence are pretty good, it doesn’t feel overly forced, but when reading aloud in a group, as always, I suggest practicing a few times to make the flow consistent.

The book starts with a beautiful spread of a mother and daughter looking through a photo album, and imaging going to Palestine one day, the subsequent pages show how Jiddo’s garden helps bring Palestine to them. The “sour green janarek plums,” “crunchy green khiyar,” and “plump red bandora.” Mama makes warak enab and Teta sings for more.

One day the little girl wonders how her Jiddo learned to grow everything and he shares that he learned from his father how to care for the land.  She then wants to know why they left Palestine, and he says, “our land was taken from us…and our family had to flee.” The hope is to return, the illustrations show the key to their occupied home being held on to, and reinforces the symbolism that Palestinians are like seeds that will flourish wherever they are, reaching toward the light.

The book contains a glossary with words written in English and in Arabic script, and an author’s note in the backmatter with presumably personal photographs of the author and her family.  I read a digital ARC and look forward to release day for my preorder to arrive.

Apr12

Lulu in the Spotlight: A South Asian Wedding Story by Natasha Khan Kazi

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Lulu in the Spotlight: A South Asian Wedding Story by Natasha Khan Kazi

This adorable 40 page culture focused picture book explores a Desi tradition with layers of competition, frustration, mystery, problem solving, kindness, and joy woven in.  Lulu likes the groom and his family, but at her cousin Amirah’s wedding, the games are about to begin, and she has a plan to win the money for team bride, and prove she is old enough to share in the spotlight. Each of the traditional teasing games though find Lulu pushed aside, until the joota chupai, where the shoes go missing.  With Nani’s encouragement to stay true to herself, Lulu gets a chance to shine by doing it her way, and bringing the families together. There are a few visible hijabis in the illustrations of this Muslim author/illustrated book and the backmatter really makes the traditional references accessible to all readers.  As a Pakistani American, my children haven’t attended cultural weddings with all the traditions, fun, and games, and this book is already a favorite in discussing what this family does, where our families might do it a bit different, and how they can twist it to fit an upcoming wedding we have this summer.  The bright large pages, add to the text and illustrations truly conveying the excitement, emotions, and colors of South Asian weddings.  By focusing on one tradition, and not trying to include everything about the multiday affairs, the book stays on message and maintains an in the moment tone, keeping the readers engaged, well done.

The book opens at the mehndi ceremony of Lulu’s cousin, and while the dances are taking place, Lulu is scheming.  She knows the next day there will be chances to make some prize money from blocking the groom and stealing his shoes, and she is determined to capitalize. Normally it is just the bride’s side against the groom’s side, but Lulu has to battle her own cousins for a role in the games.  Tarek says she is too little.  Zara is clever at negotiating, and Farah is athletic and gets places fast.  In the past, Lulu hasn’t been included, but this time, this wedding, she is ready.

On the groom’s side it is Kamal, Sameer’s little brother that serves as Lulu’s biggest competition, and who trips her as she heads for the shoes. Frustration and sadness have damped the festivities for Lulu, yet she still is helpful and kind.  With the games wrapping up, a dejected Lulu finds solace in her grandmother’s lap.  When Nani shares why the shoe stealing tradition still is carried out, Lulu knows just what to do to find the spotlight her way.

 

 

Mar26

Abdullah’s Bear Needs a Name by Yasmin Hanif illustrated by Sophie Benmouyal

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Abdullah’s Bear Needs a Name by Yasmin Hanif illustrated by Sophie Benmouyal

I love the idea behind this 28 page book, and the illustrations are pretty great too, but I felt like the story needed a little more depth to convey meaningful emotion, appreciation, and connection.  It starts with an Eid gift, but there is nothing tying it to the holiday after the first spread.  And while it shows both Islam and Desi culture in action, I wanted to hear the stories of his family, and the connection to his culture that helps him name his bear.  I also feel like the premise was a little rocky, did everyone get family heirlooms for gifts? Did they get other gifts? Why was he gifted this special stuffed toy and not his older or younger siblings? Would a kid really be that excited to get a hand me down stuffed bear? Once you read the author’s intent, and the inspiration for the story, an adult could connect the dots and help a reader recognize the internalized othering being overcome, and discuss it, but I don’t know if all kids would not pick a cultural name for a toy, or see that Abdullah didn’t consider reflective names either.

The book starts with the reader dropped into an Eid day celebration.  Abdullah is handed a gift by his parents and when he unwraps it he finds himself the new owner of an old well-loved teddy bear.  His father was the previous owner, but refuses to tell Abdullah the bear’s name, urging him to discover it on his own.

Abdullah loves the bear, and takes it with him to the store, to school, to cricket, to madrasa Everywhere he goes he tries out names: old names at the museum, classmates names, but nothing seems to fit.  When his Abba tells him a story about his grandfather, he finally finds the perfect name for his bear.

I really like the details in the illustrations, they bring the story to life and feel authentic: the store names, the Eid spread, the activities.  I feel like this book is so close to being a standout, but I don’t know that kids who don’t find themselves exactly in Abdullah’s mindset, would be able to relate and connect to what transpires.  Unfortunately, it is unclear if he grows and learns from the experience, or if it was contained to this one incident. 

 

 

Mar20

Amar’s Fajr Reward by Amire Hoxha illustrated by Hilmy An Nabhany

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Amar’s Fajr Reward by Amire Hoxha illustrated by Hilmy An Nabhany

As Muslim authored stories are increasingly more available, certain cultural Muslim stories continue to be limited or none existent. Since 2021, when four of us reviewers created the Muslim Book Reviewers and Muslim Book Awards space, we have constantly been encouraging Amire to work on her dream of being an author, and write a joyful Muslim Kosavar book. Through Ruqaya’s Bookshelf, her dream has become a reality, Alhumdulillah, in the form of this 32 page, 8.5 by 11, full color books for early elementary readers. In all my years of reviewing I have not ready many Kosavar books, and of those few, none have been OWN voice, and all have focused on the war.  Enter Amar’s Fajr Reward, a simple story of a boy and his Gjyshi, going for fajr at the masjid, finding the door locked, and the obstacles, determination, and results that transpire, not just for Amar but his grandfather as well.

The book starts with Gyjishi splashing water on Amar to wake him up for Fajr, while reminding him that “Prayer is better than sleep.”  Grandpa’s quick steps and a sleepy little boy, keep Amar hustling after his Gyjishi only to arrive at the masjid and find the door locked.  

Gyshi cannot be deterred by his grandson wanting to go home and pray, or a locked door and decides to jump the fence, something he has done in the past.  Calamity strikes, when he falls and hurts his foot and it is up to Amar to help.  But he can neither scale the wall or find anyone to help.  When the muadhin finally runs up the street Fajr can be made, Gjyshi can be assisted, and changes can be made so that hopefully getting locked out doesn’t happen again.

I love that there are pronunciation tips on the cover page of Gjyshi, grandfather, and Axhi, uncle, but I do wish there was some backmatter showcasing Muslims in Kosovo.  Are Muslim communities spread out in large diverse areas, or do they tend to have neighborhoods that are tied together by faith? As a place not often seen or heard about, a little layering of details would have deepened the story.  Especially, if the reasons are cultural or societal explaining why people don’t wake up until the athan is called, but were annoyed that Amar was knocking on the doors at that time, or maybe why the didn’t just pray outside the masjid, calling the athan and waking up the regulars that attend. Also about why the key to the masjid is “special.” Are places of worship regulated or only allowed to be open at certain times?  I also wish it would have given a little build up about Amar and this particular day. At the start he wants to pray at home as it seems like that is his norm, and Gjyshi going to the masjid seems to be the grandfather’s norm, so was this something special, a right of passage, are kids not typically seen in masjids is he visiting his grandfather? 

The book is sweet and warm, with a lot of heart and I love that it takes place in a masjid and threads in that salah is better than sleep, and that praying in congregation is 27 times the reward.  I also love that the author fulfilled her dream inspired by her own grandfather, and inshaAllah she will continue to write and bring Kosovar stories to our bookshelves, ameen.