Tag Archives: Muslim Characters

Jul5

It’s Ramadan Curious George by Hena Khan illustrated by Mary O’Keefe Young

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It' Ramadan Curious George

This highly anticipated book came with a lot of expectations and hope for many of us born and raised in America.  Alhumdulillah, Hena Khan did a great job and everyone’s favorite monkey learns and enjoys Ramadan and Eid.

The 14 page rhyming board book is festive and inviting as the tabbed ends head different aspects of Ramadan and Eid  The first tab is George helping his friend Kareem and his family get ready for Ramadan while explaining to the reader how Kareem is going to try and fast all day.  The pictures show Kareem’s mom in hijab and dad helping in the kitchen.  A banner they are hanging says Ramadan Mubarak, but there is no mention of religion or Muslims or Islam.

Curious GeorgeThe next tab has George helping Kareem get up for a predawn meal, keeping his mind off food and keeping him busy.  Not the normal mischievous George in this book, but rather a very helpful one.

 curious george 3

The next tab talks about dates and breaking the fast and the sounds of prayer, but  again no specific mention of religion or belief.  The pictures show men and women of different skin colors, veiled and un veiled, visiting together.  The next tab is all about food, in all of its diverse glory.  The next tab has Kareem inviting George to the mosque to make food baskets for those in need.  George gets a little silly, and inspires the imam to add a clothing drive next year.  The final tabs are spotting the moon and celebrating Eid.  Gifts are given to George and the man in the yellow hat. Kareem and George are sad the month is over, but George enjoyed celebrating his first Ramadan with his friend.

curious george 1

Overall the book is great for Muslim kids, non Muslim kids, and also notably for non Muslim kids with Muslim friends.  The book does not label and discuss belief or even spirituality, but rather shows how Muslims celebrate Ramadan and Eid in its most basic way, and shows that it is a part of American culture.  For as excited as my family (and myself) were to see Curious George enjoying Ramadan and doing things we do, I can see many of my neighbors and kid’s friends also identifying that they know what George is doing too because of their Muslim friends, and getting excited.  The book works for all ages, to be read independently or aloud.

MashaAllah, don’t judge it by its size, it accomplishes a lot in just a few pages, a lot like a curious little monkey!

Jul1

Ilyas & Duck and the Fantastic Festival of Eid-al-Fitr by Omar S. Khawaja illustrated by Leo Antolini

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Ilyas & Duck and the Fantastic Festival of Eid-al-Fitr by Omar S. Khawaja illustrated by Leo Antolini

Ilyas & Duck and the Fantastic Festival of Eid-al-Fitr

 

In the world of Islamic fiction, there are a lot of Eid books out there for children, but this one is definitely more fun than most, especially for the younger crowd.  The presentation of a big, bright, hardback book is aimed at 3 to 6 year olds, and reads well out loud, however, the book is very, very inviting, and older kids with happily pick it up and thumb through the 32 pages of rhyming lines as well.

The book starts with Ilyas watching the sky to see if Ramadan is over and if Eid is here.  Duck in all his silliness doesn’t know what Eid is and rushes out to get decorations to celebrate.  he returns with a Christmas tree and ornaments.  Ilyas non judgmentally explains that those are for our Chrisitian neighbors for their holiday.  Duck then runs out again and returns with a menorah and dreidel and once again Ilyas explains that those are for our Jewish friends celebrating Hanukkah.  Ilyas and Duck then fly away in their hot air balloon to the Masjid to learn about Eid.

Ilyas and Duck2Ilayas and duck

The book works for Muslim children to understand what others celebrate and works for non Muslims to see what we celebrate.  It is all done in a matter of fact way of celebration, not of doctrine.  It is built on the idea that, “There is an Eid for every nation ant his is our Eid.”ilyas and duck eid

Much like the first Ilyas and Duck book, this one is great to have around and read again and again!

Jun29

The Elephant from Baghdad by Mary Tavener Holmes and John Harris illustrated by Jon Cannell

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the elephant from baghdad cover

This fun and informative picture book written on a 4th grade 8th month AR level retells a historical event through a fictionalized narrator.  A great retelling of a West meets East event with an albino elephant thrown in, makes for a story that is hard to believe is true.

Charlemagne, the medieval ruler of most of Europe, sent ambassadors to meet the Caliph of Baghdad, Harun al-Rashid.  Charlemagne was curious to learn more about the amazing ruler he had heard so much about.  When the Europeans arrived they were astounded at the buildings, libraries, organization and cleanliness of the city.  For months, Harun “introduced the men to artists, musicians, scholars, mathematicians, architects and poets” and taught them about “science, medicine, engineering, and art.”  Harun al-Rashid’s generosity however did not stop there.  “He loaded a caravan with presents fit for a fellow emperor.”  He sent a saber and scabbard, a precious water jug, and a magnificent clock that he had commissioned his artisans to create.  A mechanical water clock, that unfortunately, has been lost in history, but was detailed in the 807 CE Annles regain Francium, a journal that chronicled the daily life in Charlemagne’s court as well as in a book written 400 years after Harun by Al-Jazazi in Istanbul, Turkey.  Even this, however, was not enough for the great emperor of the West, and Harun gave Charlemagne the rarest treasure of his court, an albino Elephant named Abu.the elephant from baghdad

Abu even had his own keeper, a Jewish man named Isaac, and when they returned back to Europe both were invited to live in the palace.  “Once or twice a day Charlemagne would visit his immense guest.” Abu’s image was preserved in portraits and began to appear on coins and tapestries in the empire.  Even in Charlemagne’s tomb is a silk cloth woven with elephants.  Abu was taken into battle against the Danes and when he got old, Charlemagne had a house built for him and Isaac near a river.  In 810 Abu died and when Charlemagne learned of his death, “he wept.”

The story shows the amazing respect the two leaders had for one another, for animals, and the tolerance of people of different faiths.   At 40 pages it works for story time and for older students learning about the Middle Ages.  Obviously they would take away drastically  different points from the story, but both groups would enjoy it.  I learned a lot, so I recommend it to adults as well.  The pictures are beautiful water colors and pencil, supplemented with actual photos of artifacts, that all combine to make the story and book a wonderful addition to your library to be read and enjoyed again and again. elephant from baghdad 2

 

Jun28

Hiss-s-s-s! by Eric Kimmel

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Hiss-s-s-s! by Eric Kimmel

Hiss-s-s-s!

So um ya, its a book about a boy who wants a pet snake. Very linear, very simple, often more instructional than story, but somehow I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting, as did my 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. The book is 154 pages (including the author’s note) and is written on an AR 3.7 level.

SYNOPSIS:

Omar is an American Muslim who wants a snake.  His dad, Ahmed, supports the idea, but his mother, Hoda, is terrified of snakes, and begrudgingly gives her permission.  The rules are pretty simple, Omar will have to take care of the pet, and it is never to leave his room.  His mother basically doesn’t want to know that there is a snake under the same roof.  Little sister Zara is just excited.  The majority of the book is Omar learning about corn snakes, and everything involved in their care.  There are a lot of lists, and passages about him researching and taking notes. His friend Philip, nicknamed Samkatt-short for Samurai Cat, is the comical sidekick, who in this case also is the brains in the group, keeps the plot moving along. The author sprinkles in some anecdotes and history giving the characters depth.  We learn Ahmed’s dad is from Pakistan and while he grew up in the city he spent time in the country and with snakes.  He retells a fictional story about how snakes kept the rodent population down, and thus allowed the farmers in his family to have higher grain yields.  He also tells Omar tidbits about his time in college working in a biology lab with snakes.  Omar’s mom is an accomplished artist that often incorporates her Lebanese culture into her work and gallery shows.  The banter between her and Samkatt keep the story light and entertaining.  (SPOILER ALERT) At the climax, the snake gets loose, and Omar learns where his mother’s phobia comes from in her childhood.  During one of Lebanon’s many wars, a man with a snake tattoo beat her father extensively while she was forced to watch.  This somehow over time developed in to Ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes.  When the snake pops up, mayhem ensues, resulting in Hoda going to the hospital and Omar having to decide what to do with his snake, Arrow.

WHY I LIKE IT:

It is such a simple story, yet the warmth of the characters at the beginning and end really made it enjoyable.  I truly applaud the author for stretching a very simple idea into a full fledged YA novel.  The characters and family are Muslim, but it isn’t really discussed or made an issue.  There is nothing religious talked about or detailed.  In some ways, it would have been nice to throw a little more cultural or religious depth in to the story to connect with the characters, but being as the author is not Muslim it is kind of impressive that he presented them as just a regular American family.  Culturally there are only a few references outside of the anecdotes the parents share: Omar can’t come up with an example of when he was bullied, some of the foods served or eaten, the mother’s art work.

FLAGS:

None. Even if you don’t like snakes, the book should not make you squeamish.

TOOLS FOR TEACHING THE DISCUSSION:

There is not much to discuss with the book, and thus I wouldn’t choose it for a book club pick.  I think 2nd or 3rd graders, however,would do well with the book in small groups.  There is just a tinge of foreshadowing, symbolism, and interpretation that wouldn’t overwhelm the student, but would boost their confidence when they connect the dots so to speak.  Plus, some discussion could come from how he had to persuade his family, the responsibility he had to show, and the sequencing of events. The worksheets and questions would practically write themselves.

Author Eric Kimmel’s blog about the book http://ericakimmel.com/2012/02/h-i-s-s-s-s-s/

Jun27

The White Nights of Ramadan by Maha Addasi illustrated by Ned Gannon

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the white nights of ramadan

I love learning about people’s Ramadan traditions, and am slightly embarrassed to admit that I never knew about this Gulf tradition of Girgian.  My kids and I enjoyed reading this book during the middle of Ramadan, when the moon is full and bright, and thus known as the white nights of Ramadan.  Written on an AR 3.6 level the story does a good job of blending the concepts of Ramadan, Girgian, Islam in a 32 page fiction story format for Muslim and non-Muslim children alike.  There is an Author’s note and Glossary in the back as well.

A young girl, Noor, excitedly waits and prepares for Girgian.  She explains the activites to her two younger brothers, Sam and Dan, how they will walk the streets with lanterns (fanouses) and get treats from neighbors for three nights.  But before night falls, they first have a lot to do to prepare, and with the help of their parents and grandparents, the children make and wrap the candy, decorate bags to keep the candy in, and get dressed in fancy traditional clothes.  In the process the book also explains Ramadan, and shows Noor praying and reading Quran.  Arabic and islamic words are tossed in and well explained: iftar, fanous, suhoor, dishdashas, musaher, etc.. Noor in all the excitement shares a tender moment with her grandma where they discuss how fun Ramadan is, but that the “true meaning of Ramadan is spending time with family and sharing with those less fortunate.” A religious scholar may add more to what Ramadan is, but for a children’s book, the message is beautiful and perfect.  The story concludes with Noor and her grandfather taking a basket of food to the mosque to give to the poor.

The book has a slow melancholy type feel to it and the pictures definitely help set that tone.  They are detailed and well done, but maybe not overly inviting to younger readers.

IMG_9586

white nights of ramadan

The book made me want to learn more about the tradition, and talk to people that may have celebrated it to see how it has evolved over time.  My kids liked the idea of having a musaher, a drummer walking the streets waking people up for suhoor.  As a mom of four, I can see why something fun in the middle of the month, especially when the days are so long, is a great way to re-energize the children about the fun and blessings of Ramadan.

Feb26

The Secret Sky: A Novel of Forbidden Love in Afghanistan by Atia Abawi

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The Secret Sky A novel of Forbidden love in Afghanistan

This was another book I stumbled upon in the Scholastic Teen Book Flyers, and I wanted to read it to see, once again, how Muslims are being portrayed in books presented and widely distributed in the school markets.    I didn’t figure given the “romantic element” it would be a candidate for our Book Club, but none-the-less wanted to know if it should at least be on our library shelves in the Middle School section.  The book is not in the Accelerated Reader data base, bur for content I would think 11th or 12th grade.  The book is written by a woman whose family left Afghanistan right before she was born and later returned as a television correspondent.  Her story is included as the introduction of the book and a glossary at the end make the total length 292 pages.

SYNOPSIS:

A boy from a landowning family, Samiullah, and a girl whose family works the land, Fatima, have known and played together their whole lives.  When Sami comes home, however, after realizing that the madrassa, religious school, he was sent to is a sham, he  finds he is still in love with his childhood friend.  Knowing that their families would never allow their union, Sami is in the midst of working up the courage to share his feelings with Fatima and try to convince her family, when Rashid, a cousin discovers them talking in the woods alone and rats them out.  The role of culture and religion make this turn of events a dire one for the couple.  As shame has been brought to Fatima’s family, her father arranges to have her married to a good friend of his, as a second wife.  Fatima’s mother, responds very harshly by beating her and pouring boiling water on her arms.  Sami is beaten as well, but not to Rashid’s satisfaction and thus he decides to go “tattle” to the local Taliban leader.  As the story unfolds it becomes clear that Mullah Latif is not religious in the least and that he has no conscious.  Latif and his gang leave a path of murder and suffering as they set out to make an example of the couple in the name of religion and culture.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The author actually does a pretty good job of making in clear that Latif and Rashid are one extreme of bad; manipulating religion to justify their acts.  As Rashid realized how little Latif even knows about Islam he sets to distance himself from the gang.  Latif at one point doesn’t even want to enter a mosque.  The opposite of the Latif character is Mullah Sarwar who is good, and kind, and gentle, and loving.  Overall the author doesn’t paint one group with a broad stroke, there are good and bad land owners, workers.  There is even a grandma who supports women being educated and marrying for love, contrasted with a mother who wants to see her daughter killed for her actions.  The story is also pretty universal and has some Romeo and Juliet similarities, simply set in Afghanistan.  Some of the culture shines through to add context and understanding outside of the story alone, and that is nice.  Fatima logically works through why she can’t marry her fathers friend.  And in some ways you see why the country struggles as it does in real life, and why there isn’t an easy fix.  Each chapter is told from a different perspective, either Fatima’s, Samiullah’s, or Rashid’s which does give a more rounded view of the events.  But in some cases, not quite enough.  One thing I didn’t find believable was how purely evil Rashid was one minute, and then his quick change (SPOILER).  The reader is not given much insight into him and yet he has such a huge influence on every aspect of the story that it seemed a little abrupt and unrealistic.

FLAGS:

The love story aspect is actually pretty clean and sweet in many ways.  The unexpected violence, however, is a huge flag to me. (SPOILER ALERT) It mentions in some detail that Sami left the madrassa when he caught the head of the school sodomizing a young village boy.  It isn’t graphic, but it is detailed enough to be noted.  Fatima’s younger sister is also killed when Latif breaks her neck with his bare hands, again incredibly brutal, horrific and sad.  Mullah Sarwar is murdered and hanged in the village.  All reasons why the book in my opinion is for older and mature audiences.

A small religious point, that I think most would be fine with, but just in case should be mentioned, is that Sami goes to pray at a shrine.  The author explains how it evolved as a place to pray to Allah for matters regarding love, but it could be construed as being inappropriate.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t teach this book to the ages I currently work with, but here is a little insight from the author about what she wanted the readers to take away from her novel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2rMD16g23E

 

 

Feb3

Muslim All-Stars Helping the Polonskys by Khaleel Muhammad

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Muslim All Stars

A mishmash of young teen characters come together to form the Muslim All-Stars, the first book in a new series that will hopefully stick with the same set of characters doing good deeds in their community.    With only 67 pages and colorful illustrations of a variety of sizes scattered through out, the book is enticing, but not memorable.  I never bonded with any of the characters, and really couldn’t even list them all or identify them in the pictures.  Hopefully the series will continue and their individual personalities will take shape.   There are a few plot holes: how did Leila have a note from her parents if she just read the advert, how did none of the kids know each other or recognize each other if they all went to the same school, why would something done outside of school warrant recognition in school? And some random unresolved ideas: the Polonsky’s harbored a burglar or was it a rumor, why did Mr. Polonsky call Leila three times just to tell her to go?  Despite it all however, it is overall a fun book for both girls and boys in grades 2 through 4.

SYNOPSIS:

Mr. Polonsky’s wife is coming home after having surgery and their home is a mess. Overwhelmed by the prospect of cleaning it, he gets the brilliant idea of hiring kids to do it, for cheap.  A handful of kids, all Muslim, show up to do the work.  But even overcoming Mr. Polonsky’s rotten attitude, the mountains of rubbish, the menagerie of critters that have taken up residence in the home, and a crazy washing machine, is not enough to prove themselves in the face of Mrs. Polonsky’s anger when she gets home.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that within the Muslim group there are kids of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and abilities; one kid is a convert, one is Pakistani, one is good with machines, one has Aspergers, one seems to get in trouble a lot.  They all answer the advert for different reasons, but after some convincing of sorts, they all agree to help the Polonskys because it is the right thing to do.  MashaAllah the girls wear hijab, they break for salat as a group, verify the food is halal, and generally just work well together.

FLAGS:

Clean alhumdulillah

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

There is nothing online.  It is a book that if you recommend it to a child you simply would want to follow up with them by asking about what they thought about how the kids were treated, what they would do if Mr. Polonsky treated them that way, if they were surprised by the ending etc..

The book is written in British English and American kids shouldn’t have trouble understanding what is going on, but might need some help figuring out some of the words, such as rubbish, bin liners, skip, etc..

Jan31

The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust by Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland Desaix

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The Grand Mosque of ParisThis beautiful, beautiful book tells of a little and sparsely known event in history.  During the holocaust The Grand Mosque of Paris served as a place of refuge for many North African Jews.  Many who passed through the vast gardens and beautiful Mosque were given fake documents of conversion, tombstones with their family names inscribed, and access to truly underground passageways (subterranean mazes), as the Muslims of Paris offered assistance to keep their Jewish brother’s and sister’s safe from the Nazi regime. Many of the stories were recently uncovered and with the passage of time, so much of the information has been lost.  As a result the book is a bit choppy, each page tells what is known about the Muslims’ assistance in some capacity, but does not flow to the next page.  So there are generalized recountings of children being hidden with other families, the efforts of the Kabyle Ressistance (Berbers from Algeria) to smuggle Jews to safety, etc.. There are also a few specific examples of Salim Halali, a young Berber Jew from Algeria, two friends one a Muslim the other a Jew seeking shelter, a Tunisian Jew who stayed at the Mosque for over two years,and a few others, but with the exception of the use of the Grand Mosque and a Doctor Ahmed Somia very little flows throughout the book.  Thus making it more of a historical account than a story.

Truly the book would not work for story time, it is geared for children (and adults) ages 12 and up,  it has an AR level of 7.1.  I would imagine it would be an amazing addition to any class studying World War II and finding the humanity offered in one of the bleakest times of our world.  It should, in my opinion, be standard required reading in Islamic School curriculum to supplement WWII study.  The hope and pride one feels when reading this book, shows how rich our faith’s are in coming together.  It would also work in understanding how history is lost, and the importance of perserving it.  There is an Afterword on page 34 that is very informative and interesting.  It is followed by a Glossary, Acknowledgements, References, Bibliography, Recommended Book and Films, and an Index.

The book also sparked my interest to know more about, not just how Muslim’s helped Jews during the Holocaust, but also how Muslims were treated in France.  The book says, “The Grand Mosque shimmered like a mirage, the white domes and the glittering mosaics of the minaret in stark contrast to the muted colors of Paris.  When the mosque was built in 1926, the North African countries of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia were under French rule, and many Muslims had come to Paris from those countries.  The land for the mosque was given by the French government, in exchange for a symbolic payment of one franc, to thank the half-million Muslim soldiers who had fought for France during the First World War.”

The Grand Mosque of Paris1.jpg

I have already read the book more then once, and gone back and read passages multiple times.  It is as fascinating as it is informative, and a great addition on any book shelf.

 

Jan27

The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney illustrated by Shane W. Evans

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The Red Pencil.jpg

I didn’t realize the book was written in prose until I opened it up to read, and immediately taken-aback I rechecked the AR level and sure enough, this 309 page book that is written in prose and covers the genocide in Darfur, is written on a 4.2 level. And it is amazing. I forced myself to stop reading at one point so as to not rush the depth and soul of the simple words from being lost in haste.  It is truly, in my opinion, a beautifully remarkable feat to convey such horrific atrocities with such hope and integrity to young adults in a palatable and inspiring way.

“Allah is the light,” he says.

I ask,

“How do you find Allah’s light?”

Old Anwar says,

“Take the path that shines the brightest.”

SUMMARY:

Amira’s life on her family’s farm is by no means easy, but she has loving parents, a little sister, her beloved sheep, and a dream of going to school.  Her father advocates for her, but her mother, steeped in tradition, sees education only as a waste of time.  The illustrations and sparse words manage to convey fairly solid understanding of Amira’s life, optimism, and relationships with those closest to her.  Although warned of the dangers the Janjaweed could cause, Amira remains fairly unconcerned about the mounting political unrest around her, until it is too late.  When death and the destruction of her home force the surviving members of her family and neighbors to seek refuge in a camp many miles away, the reader sees how truly horrific her experiences have been.  She refuses to speak or rather cannot, when a chance encounter with an aid worker brings her the prospect of getting her voice back, through the empowerment of a red pencil.  With restored determination she convinces an elder neighbor to teach her, but it is not enough for Amira Bright.  Her sparrow needs to soar free.

WHY I LIKE IT:

You expect a book written in verse to have a lot of imagery and symbolism, and The Red Pencil does a good job of balancing the story and the description, to keep the book on track.  The linear story line remains focused on telling the story at hand, making it attainable for elementary and middle school children.  The Darfur conflict is complicated at best, and using verse to convey it from a young girl’s voice allows a lot of the politics and dirtiness of war to be side-stepped without dismissing it.  Amira’s optimism and hope is at times naive, but more as a reflection of her personality then out of ignorance. She sees things, and feels things, and must deal with things, no child should, but her spirit shines through and keeps the book from being depressing, while still being sad.

Today the red pencil does more

than beg for my hand.

It makes me a promise.

It tells me to try.

The characters are Muslim and they rely on Allah, and pray, yet Amira’s thirst for knowledge includes that of learning the Koran (Qur’an) as that knowledge too, has not been readily available to her  There is a lot to discuss in the book, both what is written and what the reader brings to it.  I look forward to teaching the book, and re-reading it once again to savor in the rich images.

Here,

Muma stoops.

Here,

she has nothing to reach for.

FLAGS:

Their is violence when the Janjaweed attack her family.  But I think it is conveyed in a manner suitable for 3rd grade and up.  It is not celebrated or glorified, it is traumatic and has repercussions that are respectfully conveyed.  There is also mention of a child bride, but not in so many words, that in all honesty I doubt most young readers will be as bothered by it as perhaps they should.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

There is a discussion guide in the back of the book along with an Author’s Note, Acknowledgements, Glossary/Pronunciation Guide, Character/Location Pronunciations, and Important Terms that Appear in the Book.

An Educators Guide: http://media.hdp.hbgusa.com/titles/assets/reading_group_guide/9780316247801/EG_9780316247801.pdf

A study guide and quiz: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-the-red-pencil/free-quiz.html#gsc.tab=0

The Red Pencil 1

Jan22

Ibrahim’s Search by Qasim Najar illustrated by Patricia Meehan

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Ibrahim's Search

What a surprisingly insightful book, mashaAllah.  The pictures look like they are done with crayons and colored pencils, and the type set is completely uninviting.  The text  is a bit too wordy, yet somehow it does a decent job overall of conveying how a child might understand Allah (swt) in a logical, critically thinking manner.  The book works well for four year old children to maybe about 2nd grade.  There are 40 pages and the story takes on a insightful repetitive pattern as young Ibrahim searches for Allah.

The book opens with a humorous nod to moms everywhere.  Ibrahim learns that Allah is the creator of everything and wants to see Allah.  His teacher says he can’t show him Allah, so Ibrahim goes to find someone who can, his mom.  Ummi tells him that we understand Allah swt through his creations all around us, but Ibrahim is not satisfied with her answer either.  And because Muslims are encouraged to ask questions and seek knowledge, Ummi allows Ibrahim to go search for Allah so that he might thank him.

Ibrahim sees a mountain, and thinks perhaps something so big and strong is Allah, then he notices the stream running through the mountain and wonders if then the water is Allah.  When the water evaporates, he wonders if the sun is Allah, this goes on and on until he realizes that the one who made the world, holds it together, and keeps it in balance is Allah.  He also appreciates that his mother was right and goes home to tell her, Alhumdulillah.

This book goes well with Ilyas & Duck Search for Allah and Allah Created Everything if you are doing a story time, as they all convey the same information in different ways and appeal to the same audience more or less.