Tag Archives: Muslim Family

Mar12

Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua illustrated by Natalya Tariq

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Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua illustrated by Natalya Tariq

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This 26 page book is set on Eid, it does not specify Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, but it isn’t overly impactful on the story outside of the framing, so really it is a non issue.  The book shows a Muslim family and is a benefit for appealing to women and girls in science, unfortunately it has some plot holes though.  A big point of the book is the girl, Khadija, wondering if she can be a scientist who wears hijab because she doesn’t see any scientists at the fair wearing one. When she voices this concern to her parents, her father reassures her saying, “Anyone can be a scientist.  Scientists can wear a hijab like Amma, or glasses like me.”  First of all, I don’t like it equating hijab to glasses, hijab is a religious practice, not a tool to help you see or an accessory.  I’m well aware not every book has to have Islam centered, but I do worry that if hijab is relegated to an article of clothing, and Khadija doesn’t wear hijab, that readers might just be confused and not be able to connect the dots.  With weak writing, a confusing premise, and a climax of doing an experiment, that is not included for the readers to do at home, included in the book; I am struggling to recommend this for every bookshelf.  It isn’t a bad read, it just should be better.  I love the joyful engaging illustrations, I like the female Muslim science representation even. I just ultimately think the weak writing drags the book down and will have some kids confused why she is worried about a scarf she doesn’t wear impeding on a career she doesn’t have, and be unable to see that as a Muslima she will want to wear hijab as an act of worship when she grows up.

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The book starts with Khadija and her family heading to her school for the science fair after Eid salah.  She sees lots of scientists, but notices none wearing hijab.  She gets a science kit to do at home and then the family starts to prepare for guests coming over for dinner.

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Khadija can’t wait to do her experiment so she quietly gathers up supplies, and heads to the bathroom to make elephant toothpaste. It works, a little too well, but then it is everywhere and mom and dad show up to help her clean.  Khadija wonders if she is not cut out to be a scientist.  Mom and dad console her, the people arrive for an Eid party, and her parents and her do the experiment for all to see.

The story is pretty straightforward, but I sure have a lot of questions: why is the “big day” the science fair and not Eid.  It is at her school but the science fair is not students sharing projects, but professional scientists? And does she purchase a science kit, why does her mom give it to her at the fair, but then she asks the scientist is she can do it at home? What else did she see or learn at the science fair, she just went saw scientists in lab coats, got the kit and left?  How was it still morning when she got home after the fair, after Eid salah?  There is a whole page of her getting an Eid gift and squealing with delight, but never shares what the gift is.  I also really, really wish it had the experiment in the book. I want to know what it is and why it is called, “elephant toothpaste.” I truly do not know why this book has no backmatter.  Information about women in science, how to do the experiment, maybe something about hijab or Eid. A link or scannable QR code to see the experiment would have even added something to increase knowledge and excitement for science, representation, and dreaming big.

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Mar11

Looking for the Eid Moon by Sahtinay Abaza illustrated by Sandra Eide

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Looking for the Eid Moon by Sahtinay Abaza illustrated by Sandra Eide

The illustrations and sister bonding in this story are sweet, but it isn’t exciting, and doesn’t feel very Ramadan or Islamic rep or even very purposeful.  I was really surprised that there wasn’t a craft activity or science tie in at the end, it seemed to be heading in that direction seeing as Eid joy, iftar, and anything religious are all completely absent. The plot really is just the title, “looking for the Eid moon.” The text feels abrupt, it doesn’t flow, and feels othering.  “For years, the moon marked important Muslim holidays and dates. And Eid wouldn’t begin until the crescent moon was spotted.” Numerous communities still rely on local sighting and have hilal committees marking all moon phases and months.   This framing of it being an antiquated practice, feels off.  The sisters are young, but Sara is old enough “to know the crescent moon is faint and hard to see,” yet she doesn’t even acknowledge iftar time, they don’t pray maghrib.  The complete removal of Islam makes looking for the Eid moon seem like they could just be looking for Mars or a comet.  It says they are excited for an Eid party, but clearly not enough to be excited it is Eid the next day, they are simply sad that they didn’t see the moon.  I’ve read the book a few times, and I truly can’t make it make sense, and I don’t understand how silver paint glows, shouldn’t it be glow in the dark paint? Sigh.

The book starts with Sara looking at her Eid dress saying she is excited for the Eid party, but first she has something to do.  She packs her flashlight and binoculars and grabs her little sister Lulu and the head out to spot the Eid moon. On their way out they pass mom hanging decorations, and she wishes them well.

In the backyard the girls watch the sky change colors and the sky is cloudy.  As it gets darker, the girls get a little scared, but mom finds them and tells them the moon has been spotted elsewhere.  The girls are sad and Sara comes up with a way to cheer up Lulu.  SPOILER she paints a ball silver, fills it with coins, and writes a note that it is from the Eid Moon, claiming this is a moon rock.  Lulu proclaims it the “best Eid ever.”

The Author’s note tells of the family’s tradition to hide and find moon rooks with coins in them, in what sounds akin to an Easter egg hunt.  It also erroneously says that Eid al Fitr is a three day holiday.  I don’t get the connection to the moon being brave and a source of light to refugees in the book, if that was the author’s intent, to show the moon as hope “when times are bleak and dark,” I’m sorry but the message was not conveyed.

Mar8

Noura’s Crescent Moon by Zainab Khan illustrated by Nabila Adani

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Noura’s Crescent Moon by Zainab Khan illustrated by Nabila Adani

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I know, I know, another Ramadan book about the moon and a little girl’s first fast, but this one is slightly different.  The moon they are searching for is the Eid moon and the focus is on whether they will see it and Eid will begin, or if there is one more day of fasting.  The story itself would not make sense if it wasn’t Ramadan and the characters Muslim, but the story only subtly sprinkles in bits of Islam, the backmatter though, is where the Islam really shines.  The tone of the book with the lyrical text and full color illustrations is very relatable to Muslims that both want to see the moon and celebrate, while at the same time being sad the the blessed month of Ramadan is over.  It comes from a Desi centric approach to the foods, and traditions, but their aren’t a lot of Urdu words used either, and those that are, are defined at the end.  The book works for Muslims and non Muslims, and would benefit both groups with a bit of discussion. Overall, not a particularly memorable book, but one that stands out for focusing on the tradition of looking for the moon and being together as a family.

I love that the notes at the end do mention that Muslims fast to “show love and obedience for the Creator,” under the Ramadan header.  The other backmatter headings are Eid ul-Fitr, Suhoor, Iftar, Chaand Raath, Pakora, Gulab Jamun, Sheer Khurma, and The Islamic Calendar and the New Moon.  A lot of space is dedicated to food, explaining those mentioned in the story.  It gets it right that Muslims begin fasting at dawn, it shows mom not wearing hijab at home, but wearing it when they go out, yet, it doesn’t just say the maghrib athan it refers to it as the “call for the twilight prayer.”  And it doesn’t mention or show them praying, which would have been a nice inclusion.

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The book starts with Noura playing outside and her tummy rumbling on this 29th day of Ramadan, and her first fast.  Mama, Papa and Noura all help make and pack up iftar, as they get ready to go look for the Eid moon.

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Before they go, Mama shows Noura her new dress, and they add some henna cones to the items they are taking, they then set out to the countryside.  All along, Noura is hoping to see the moon and her parents are reminding her how rare it is to see it.

When they get to the hill there are other families already there, and Noura has done it, completed her first fast.  Unfortunately the moon is not there as hoped, or is it?

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I wish some duaas or Islamic expressions, and salat would have made it into the book, but the large hardback size makes this a good book to read at story times, and a nice way to explain why we don’t know when we will miss school to celebrate Eid, or how many days we will fast.

Mar6

Made from the Same Dough by Laura El Alam illustrated by Passant Ablal

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Made from the Same Dough by Laura El Alam illustrated by Passant Ablal

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Not all books about Ramadan have to be lists of facts. It is ok to show Ramadan and Islamic elements in stories that have their own plots, character arcs, conflicts and resolutions that are not just about abstaining from food and water, or losing your temper.  This book set in Ramadan is a story about a  Muslim boy and his Christian grandfather, and a whole lot of heart.  As a child of a convert, this book spoke to me, and I saw myself in that relationship, not only as a child, but even as an adult bringing my grandparents to my kids Islamic schools, friends’ lunches, and asking them to wait on the side while we pray.  I absolutely love the perspective of the protagonist, that he is worried about what Muslims will think of his grandfather not fasting or praying, as opposed to the often shown character worrying about what non Muslims think about us. The paradigm shift is subtle, but empowering to Muslim readers to see that they are not “other” in any environment.  The authenticity and how it all comes together in the clear text of the book is beautiful, but I must say, I really struggle with the illustrations.  I know art is subjective, and I am no artist, but yikes, I feel like the pictures actually distract from the story unfortunately.

The book starts with Papa coming over to his daughter’s family home and smelling something cinnamon-y delicious.  He dives in to the harira soup and recalls the cinnamon Christmas cookies they used to make.  Rayan wonders if Papa even remembers that the rest of them are all fasting.

Mama invites him to join the family at Auntie Hana’s for iftar the next night, and Rayan worries what Papa will do when they all pray, or if his friends will wonder why he came to iftaar if he is not fasting.

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Papa agrees and offers to make cinnamon cookies to share.  Rayan doesn’t like the idea of Christmas cookies at iftar and tells grandpa that Santa won’t be there.  The next day when Grandpa comes over to bake, Rayan refuses to help. Part scared, part frustrated, part anxious, Rayan hears everyone having fun, but stays in his room.

When they arrive at the iftaar potluck, Rayan reminds Papa to take of his shoes and then devises a plan to keep the Christmas cookies from causing any embarrassment. Only his sister Aliya foils his plan and Rayan will have to face his own feelings and make things right.

I’ve read this book easily close to twenty times, since ordering it, evaluating it for the Muslim Book Awards 2023, (it won the Holiday category), writing this review, and reading it to my littles at bed time, and it still hits close to the heart every time.  It reminds me of my own grandpa, who has been gone almost exactly a year, who may not have always understood our actions as Muslims no matter how often we tried to explain them to him, but never loved us any less.

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You can purchase your copy here at Crescent Moon

Mar5

The Ramadan Drummer by Sahtinay Abaza illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova

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The Ramadan Drummer by Sahtinay Abaza illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova

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This book reads very much like an early work in progress.  It doesn’t seem to know if it wants to be a book about foods and hunger in Ramadan, or about a Ramadan drummer waking people up for suhoor, or being a fantasy where you can hear people’s thoughts in your dreams and when you awaken you can get blessings for being kind.  Sure maybe it could be all of the above, unfortunately as written, it falls short in being much of a cohesive story at all.  Many of the details have no baring on the plot, the transitions from food, and fasting and pants feeling tight to dreaming about the Ramadan drummer that he heard about once in passing, is very abrupt and none of the children I read it to ages four to eight could sit through it. With no Islamic centering it is never clear other than to “think of the poor,” why this small child is fasting, and who is going to be doing the rewarding for kindness in Ramadan.  For Muslim and non Muslim kids alike, this book will not make much sense, I’m afraid, nor be memorable, even if they can get through it. The idea of a Ramadan Drummer appears in a lot of books, and perhaps this fantasy reinterpretation could have been fun, but with the lack of Islamic content, a clear story line, and the focus being on hunger, the book doesn’t do much for me.

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The book starts out with Adam being hungry, his stomach is a wild beast, roaring and grumbling for food.  He is told fasting helps people think of the poor, but he can’t “think on an angry stomach.”  The next two pages are about food, then his aunt and uncle come over, wishing everyone a “blessed Ramadan,” and then they break their fast. No Salams are given, iftar is not named, but they mention a Ramadan drummer. Adam is eating so much his pants are tight, they then pull out dessert.  That night he can hardly fall asleep because he ate more cookies than he should.  The lack of self control is an odd thing to stress without any insight into moderation, especially in Ramadan when controlling the nafs is such a present test.

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That night he dreams he meets the Ramadan drummer, they listen to the wants and thoughts of the neighbors, he wakes up in the morning to pancakes and then he responds to what he learned in his dream.  It is sweet that he spreads kindness to the neighbors, with the Ramadan drummer only having to tell him, “during Ramadan, every act of kindness is reward tenfold.”  I have no idea if Adam is already kind and this was just extra motivation, it never says who will be doing the rewarding, I wish it shared what was being chanted to wake people up, and I wondered if this is going to be an every night occurrence, but alas there are no answers.

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The book ends with Adam still hungry, but his heart being full whereas his stomach is not.  There is then a lengthy Author’s Note that mentions “Muslims will not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset,” clearly getting the start time wrong.  Throughout the text it says “before sunrise” leaving the time a bit vague, but not wrong.  The Illustrator’s Note calls a Mullah, a Muslim priest, which struck me as odd.

It seems so odd to have a Ramadan book void of even basic religious mentions. Why would you stress about getting up, let alone getting up on time, if there are no rules and requirements to your fast. The whole reason for the fast is an act of worship, how the worship is done matters. By removing religion: the lack of salams, prayer, duas, connection to Allah, etc., it makes fasting seem like an act in isolation and it makes it just about food, which shortchanges the month of Mercy. Ramadan is joyful, it is so much more than a month of just being hungry.

Mar3

Eliyas Explians Ramadan by Zanib Mian illustrated by Daniel Hills

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Eliyas Explians Ramadan by Zanib Mian illustrated by Daniel Hills

This is the fifth book in the Eliyas Explains series, and it really is what you would expect and hope, a book about Ramadan from Zanib Mian would be.  Eliyas’s voice is funny, relatable, engaging, and yet somehow manages to find a clear way to inform too.  The framing is fictional, but the book is meant to be lesson, moral, and information filled.  The voice did seem to break when Eliya’s didn’t know what “Ramadan Mubarak” meant, but it is clear that the book is meant to teach and remind middle grade kids about Ramadan from moon sighting to Eid, so I don’t think anyone other than an old reviewer would notice.  Parents might notice though that Eliyas loses his cool at one point and starts to presumably call his sister stupid, it stops at “st,” but then says he “started to cuss” which in America would be taken to mean a profanity much stronger than stupid, so just be aware, so you don’t panic if your child asks.  Overall the book is great, it is a solid 80 pages before the guided journaling begins and concludes at 115 pages.  The illustrations, changing font, and humor really make it perfect for the age group.  I gave it to my eight year old to read and I could hear him laughing, saying a few dua’as aloud, and he even came and asked me a few questions making sure he understood new information correctly.  This book would work as an independent read, a read aloud, or even an elementary reading assignment in an Islamic or weekend school.  The book is remarkable for the simple fact that it starts by naming the scholar that proofed the book, truly this is revolutionary, please can we normalize sourcing already.

The book is divided into chapters, with chapter one reintroducing Eliyas and his family to the reader. They are out on a bike ride and Eliya’s wants to know why everyone is so excited for Ramadan and giving up food and water.  Mom and dad explain taqwa and good deeds being multiplied and prayers being answered and big shaytans being locked up and Eliyas is excited (to put it mildly) to get closer to Allah swt and be a better version of himself.

Chapter two explains the moon, making intention, and waking up for suhoor.  With nine chapters before the journaling, the book discusses doing good deeds, fighting, forgiveness, shaytan being locked up, taraweeh, Laylatul Qader, and Eid.

The journaling guides readers through forgiveness, ibadah, goals, duas, kindness, feelings, connecting with Allah swt and more.  The beauty of this book is that it does pack a lot of information, but it shows a lot too, and gives kids a way to see Ramadan in action.

You can order your copy here at Crescent Moon store 

Mar1

Rabia’s Eid by Rukhsana Khan illustrated by Debby Rahmalia

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Rabia’s Eid by Rukhsana Khan illustrated by Debby Rahmalia

We definitely lack Islam centered leveled readers, so how exciting to see one this year focused on Eid, that contains more about Zakat al Fitr than presents no less.  The book starts on the last day of Ramadan, so there are details about both Ramadan and Eid shown, not dictated, as it stays on a Step 2 reading level.  As with most books meant to be read with help, for preschool to 1st grade, the story is a bit abrupt at times, and by not showing the Eid salat it definitely leaves some confusion as to whether Zakat was actually paid before the prayer started as required (I’m not a scholar, so please look into this), or not.  InshaAllah, if adults are reading this with their children, some basics about Zakat al Fitr would be something wonderful to discuss when you finish.  The book is joyful, the little girl wants to fast and is encouraged to do a half day, the illustrations are adorable as well, alhumdulillah. Oh and for those keeping track, this might be the first Ramadan book I’ve read in a long time that does not mention the moon, not even once.

The book starts with Mom waking Maryam up for suhoor on the last day of Ramadan and Rabia wanting to fast as well.  Her sister tells her she is too young, but she joins the family for cereal in the kitchen, and Dad encourages her to try a half day.  The family then prays fajr together and the day is going great.

About lunch time Maryam is getting ready to break her fast. The family praises her on as she settles in with a cheese and tomato sandwich.  Later the rest of the family breaks their fast, and Rabia joins in with starting with a date and making duas.  Then it is time for henna and getting their clothes ready.

At Eid prayer everyone is dressed up, and Dad gives Rabia some money to put in the box labeled Fitr, for the poor.  Rabia wonders if everyone has to give money, and mom responds that everyone except the poor do.  The book concludes with the family smiling knowing everyone is having a happy Eid.

The book is great for Muslim and non Muslim kids, because of the size though, it isn’t a great choice for story time in big groups, but the price point makes it an awesome addition to gifts, classrooms, and to share with others in general.  I purchased my copy here.

Feb29

A Ramadan to Remember by Marzieh A. Ali illustrated by Najwa Awatiff

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A Ramadan to Remember by Marzieh A. Ali illustrated by Najwa Awatiff

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A problem solving kid that loves his faith, finds himself in a new neighborhood at the beginning of Ramadan without a mosque or a Muslim community.  I appreciate that this 32 page book actually has a bit of a plot, not just the overly done fictional story crafted around basic Ramadan facts of a child’s first fast.  Sure, it mentions most of the expected concepts in a similar manner, but it also centers acts of ibaada, shows more than tells, is brightly illustrated, and is unapologetic. The kid is a doer, a problem solver, and isn’t unsure about who he is, which is refreshing. That isn’t to say that it gets everything right, it still attributes fasting to feeling compassion for the poor.  Even when a side character challenges the notion, the character doubles down that it makes us more appreciative, which inshaAllah it does, but it isn’t WHY we fast.  Overall though, I think the book still is a benefit in Muslim and non Muslim spaces. The story and illustrations make it appealing at story times and bed times, and the backmatter is equally engaging.

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The book starts with Zain getting excited for his favorite time of year, Ramadan.  Only this year the decorations are still in boxes, Mama and Baba are busy with their new jobs, and there is no mosque or Muslims in the neighborhood.  Zain knows, he rides around looking for clues, has even checked the newspaper, and had his dad look on his phone.  It is a big change from the Islamic school he used to go to, and the busy mosque he used to volunteer at.

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Then Zain gets an idea, to build a mosque with all the moving boxes.  Neighbor kids come and ask questions, and Zain is happy to explain as they join in the building.  One night while praying outside under the stars in the cardboard mosque, a friend joins the family, and this Ramadan just might turn out to be pretty wonderful after all.

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I love that Zain doesn’t wait around for his parents to figure everything out, he is motivated. I also really like that he knows who he is, is comfortable sharing his faith and beliefs, and that the neighbor kids find connections to him, not the other way around.  I wish he would find a place to volunteer at, our charity isn’t restricted to helping only Muslims, though I might be the only one to pick up on that unresolved thread.  I also get that the kid that joins the salat for story purposes, is seen after prayer, but he didn’t join the prayer right and my older kids were sure to point that out.

The backmatter has a glossary, but in a more engaging format that I think kids will actually stick around for, and the Ramadan essentials and crafts make for a nice extension for those wanting to add a craft to the story time activity.

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The book is traditionally published and widely available.  You can find it here at Amazon, or here at my favorite store Crescent Moon.  It is also available in public libraries and would be a great addition to classroom and school library shelves.

Feb28

Aliya’s Secret: A Story of Ramadan by Farida Zaman

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Aliya’s Secret: A Story of Ramadan by Farida Zaman

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Books like this are honestly a disservice to Muslims. I know the industry means well by having a token holiday book, by an OWN voice writer, ensuring it is joyful and illustrated in a warm way, but when the information is erroneous, it really just perpetuates misinformation. This book will be on shelves everywhere and shared at story times in classrooms and libraries and non Muslims will think they are being inclusive, and Muslim kids will also learn erroneously or doubt if they are in the wrong, or best case scenario (?) have even more to explain to those around them. The book is adorable, yet the information about when we fast and why we fast is wrong, repeated throughout, even in the backmatter.  The book is for young children and pivots around lying, the character lies repeatedly with no consequences…in Ramadan no less.  Sigh, our kids deserve better.

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The book states multiple times, four in fact, that Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset, this is incorrect, Muslim fast from dawn to sunset. Sahoor is not eaten at sunrise, it is eaten before dawn. This is not me being picky, this is wrong. The dad perhaps has his own reasons for fasting, but Islamically we do not fast to feel what those who are hungry feel or to be grateful, those hopefully are results of fasting, but in fact we fast as commanded by Allah swt. Children are required to fast when they hit puberty, not at the age of 13 specific. Many kids fast full and partial days before puberty, and I don’t agree that their growth is stunted as suggested by the book.

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The set up of the story is nice, albeit another first fast book, in that at least the character and her classmates and friends know what Ramadan is and thus there is no othering. It talks about charity and praying and shows the Muslim family living their life unapologetically which on the one hand is great, but then makes the lying seem weird. Why would Aliya keep fasting a secret from her friends at school even if she is keeping it from her parents? Why would she lie about it, why would she lie and have it articulated as lying and there be no repercussions for it, in a picture book? She doesn’t even just do it once, she lies THREE TIMES.  When you do good things from a place of faith and worship, it seems off to me to have it framed in deceit with no other commentary.

Sure to some the time when fasting starts might be a small thing, but seriously is it that hard to get correct? I wish the editorial/publishing/marketing team would have hired beta/sensitivity readers, not all Muslims know Islam, and not checking the facts really is just sloppy.

Feb15

Daughters of the Lamp by Nedda Lewers

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Daughters of the Lamp by Nedda Lewers

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This 352 page middle grade fantasy grounded in Egypt and America didn’t initially impress me.  In fact the first few chapters felt a little forced, the voice a little off, and the threads of Islam were making me a little bit nervous, but I was advised to keep reading by a trusted friend (@muslimmommyblog), and so I did.  And I really don’t know when it happened, perhaps when Sahara finally got to Egypt, but truly the slow quiet book won me over.  It has a lot of heart and I found myself throughout the day thinking about the story, trying to sneak a few minutes here and there to read just a little bit more, and staying up past my bedtime to finish.  That isn’t to say the book is perfect, but it is a solid read despite some plot holes, and a 12-year-old protagonist who seems to not really practice Islam even though her dad and family do. If you do not feel that Islam allows for fantasy books with magic, then steer clear of this.  If you are fine with it or on the fence, know that the book quite often articulates that Allah swt is always the creator in charge of everything, but there are magical elements, fortunes told, and evil deception.  I’ve never seen anyone read tea leaves or coffee grounds, let alone believe in them, if it is something that culturally you have seen and find reflect sihr, know that it is present in the story, but it absolutely clarifies, that Allah swt is the one who controls the future.  I don’t think any reader of any age would think this story is or could be real.  I would be comfortable with middle graders reading this book.  It is long, and a bit dense for early middle graders, but it is clean, and really centers family, being a good friend, and working together to save the day.

SYNOPSIS:

Sahara Rashid is tired of being teased as being the only kid who hasn’t gone to Merlin’s Crossing, when 6th grade comes to an end, she is hoping the surprise her dad has for her is a trip to the amusement park.  Instead they are going to Egypt, her first trip there ever.  Her maternal uncle is unexpectedly getting married and her dad and her haven’t been back since her mother died giving birth to Sahara.  Shocked by the news and desperately disappointed, Sahara goes to bed and dreams of her mother. When she awakes, her aunt, her father’s sister and mom’s friend, has a necklace for her and a message that matches her dream.  Interspersed with Sahara’s story is Morgana’s.  A girl long ago who is a servant to a mawlay, Ali Baba, who has been tasked to guard treasures: lamps, apples, flying carpets, and the like.

When Sahara gets to Egypt her adventures begin, she meets her cousins, Fanta and Naima, and Sittu, her grandma, who she has always feared blames her for her mother’s death, but finds instead a loving matriarch who welcomes her wholeheartedly.  She also meets the bride-to-be a woman named Magda, a woman the cousins call, El Ghoula, the witch.  When someone tries to break into the family’s grocery store, Sahara’s necklace goes missing, and El Ghoula starts to act suspicious, Sahara and Naima formulate a plan that backfires tremendously and will test their trust, determination, and ability to save the day.

WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that Islam is woven in, but I truly do not understand how Sahara’s dad prays five times a day, her aunt in the USA who lives with them prays, but not regularly, but Sahara doesn’t pray.  Her mom wore hijab, but she doesn’t know much about hijab, yet is incredible self-conscious that she doesn’t wear it, while simultaneously being comfortable in shorts.  She also questions her dad why she needs to cover her head in front of the imam, and she brings it up a lot with her cousin Naima, who does cover.  It feels like it comes from a place of love and respect, and probably real conversations, but it seems stilted and vague which I feel like some sensitivity reading perhaps would have helped with.

The beginning of the book really sounds outdated, but I’m not sure why.  It reads like an older person trying to write a young protagonist contemporary voice and it doesn’t work, it is even cringey at times.  Once the action picks up, the voice and tone and pacing is fine, but truly the first few chapters of Sahara are cumbersome.  I do not understand why Sahara is constantly homesick.  She is on vacation and is not going to be in Egypt for two weeks, and the regular insertion that she is missing home and counting down days, is very odd.  If she was suddenly living there, or staying months, perhaps it would make sense, but truly it initially really makes liking Sahara yet another obstacle in the early chapters, that has to be overcome.  By the end, she is very likeable, but those early chapters don’t connect her to the reader which is unfortunate.

The story and action are fun, the relationship building with the family is very tender and sweet.  Her helping her cousin in a street dance battle and feeling the love from her grandma are cathartic and memorable.  Plot wise there are some holes, like how did all the sleeping victims get home, where is the dad’s family, why didn’t the mom know the family secret, why did the family let Sahara’s mom leave, how did Sahara’s mom and her paternal aunt know each other, and why doesn’t Sahara pray and why hasn’t she ever heard the fajr athan before?

FLAGS:
Magic, lying, music, dancing, evil, plotting, scheming, killing, murder, dying, theft, poisoning, attempted kidnapping, slander.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would be a fun book to read aloud in a classroom setting during lunch when it is too cold to go outside.  I think it would be fun for an upper elementary book club as well.  I think kids will reach for it, and with a recommendation will get through the first few chapters to be swept away on a magic carpet,  enjoying the story.