Tag Archives: Guzelya Marisova

Jun19

Eldar & Elnur Story of the Stolen Homes by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri

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Eldar & Elnur Story of the Stolen Homes by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri


The intent of this 22 page book, to increase solidarity and bring awareness about Palestinians being forced from their homes, is admirable; Having the characters at a museum to see a virtual reality exhibit about this, is a unique to way convey the story to the readers. But yikes, the early pages are walls of text, and the positioning of the kids and their families going to the museum is really wordy and hinders readers connecting with the information to come. An editor should have been consulted, and the text condensed and simplified. Once the “Story of the Stolen Homes” begins, the text slowly reduces, and with Islamic teachable moments worked in, the book does leave one satisfied at the end, it just takes some perseverance and encouragement to young children to get there. The book is not OWN voice, as neither the author nor illustrator are Palestinian.

The story starts with the twins and their parents, joined by their cousin from Indonesia, heading to see a virtual reality exhibition on stolen homes in Palestine. They meet their hologram tour guide Reem, and she begins with the first stop of her home, al-Khalil. She talks about Masjid al-Aqsa and asks the kids about the other two holy sites for Muslims. They discuss olives and how the home was stolen.

The next stop is Gaza, where a once beautiful garden is killed when water is stolen, and a well poisoned. The final home stolen, is Reem’s school. The story ends with urging the children, and readers, to always be grateful to Allah swt as Jannah is the home awaiting us all inshaAllah.





Apr17

Doppaland: The World Where They Found Themselves by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri

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Doppaland: The World Where They Found Themselves by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri

This 42 page book follows a tried and true method of kids being swept away by some magical object to a distant land to have an adventure and share with the reader what they learn. In this case it is twins Eldar and Elnur being taken from their apartment in Paris to their parents’ Ugghur homeland when they put on their doppas, Ugghur hats, that in this book have magically come to life in the night. The doppas transport the children to the Silk Road to show them and tell them about the people and traditions in Hotan, the Taklamakan Desert, Kashgar, Ghulja, the Ili River, Turpan, and the Altai Mountains. The characters are Muslim and Islam is present throughout the pages. The literary elements are fairly basic, but as far as I know this is the first and only OWN voice Ugghur picture book, and Alhumdulillah it exists. The book provides an easy way to introduce some of the culture, geography, language, and traditions to early elementary aged children. The illustrations are engaging and equally informative, and I appreciate the glossary in the back. I just wish there was a map and some information about the persecution of the community to further highlight why familiarity and support of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Northwest China is so important.

When culture day approaches the twins ask their parent’s for something from their weten to share, and mom gifts them doppas. The kids make duas that they can one day go to their parents’ homeland and see what it looks like. Awoken by a soft noise in the night, the twins, and their cat, find the doppas glowing, and talking, and ready to take them to Doppaland.

The trio, Mushuk goes too, say Bismillah and are off. They fly over Paris, and discuss how they have been mistaken for Japanese as their Turkic ethnicity is diverse and rich.  In Hotan, an oasis near the desert, they see weavers wearing little doppas called telpik.

When they reach the Taklamakan Desert they hear music from the rawap, dap, and chang.  They see hunters living the sunnahs of horse back riding and staying strong to “defend their land if needed.”

In “Kashgar, the centre of knowledge,” they spend time at the library and marvel at all the languages the Ugghurs speak.

Their adventures continue as they learn how in Ghulja they greet with salaam by placing their hand on their heart, and enjoy the fruit in Turpan and the families picking grapes together.

After seeing a snow leopard in the Altai Mountains, they return home wondering if it was all a dream, but eager to share their knowledge with their classmates on Culture Day.