Tag Archives: Picture book

Jan30

Ramadan for Everyone: A Muslim Community Story by Aya Khalil illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

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Ramadan for Everyone: A Muslim Community Story by Aya Khalil illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

This adorable 40 page book will be a great read to classrooms to see Ramadan in action from a little girl trying her best to fast and pray without internalized Islamophobia or info dumps cluttering a flimsy plot. The bright illustrations bring the story to life and will captivate preschool to early elementary readers and listeners.  The story shows the religion and leans into the concept of Taqwa as a reason for fasting, something to strive for, and prompting the little girl to give to her community.  There is a robust backmatter with sources, a glossary, two crafts, and information about Ramadan, taqwa, moon and stars, and being mindful.  It should be my favorite Ramadan book ever, with when we start fasting correct, adding a twist to the trope of a first fast, and centering Islam- unfortunately, the story tries to do a lot, too much in fact, resulting in the book missing the emotional element that makes Ramadan stories memorable and beloved.  I think the author’s style is also something subjective that I just don’t vibe with, so while I will provide rationale for my opinions as I continue my review, I am aware that fans of her previous books, will absolutely fight me on my thoughts, which I welcome. Even with my critiques, I’m glad I preordered the book and have spent time reading and sharing it.

The book starts with Habeeba’s kitchen busing with activity in the dark morning.  The first day of Ramadan has Baba and his two daughters eating and planning a month of fasting every day and praying taraweeh every night. Big sister Sumaya encourages Habeeba to come to the library at lunch time.  Once at school the teacher reads a Ramadan story, in the library, the librarian encourages Habeeba with stickers, and the two sisters look at books together.

Once back home though, chef Baba’s kunafa tempts Habeeba. Baba reminds her that fasting is to gain taqwa, “because we want to get closer to Allah.”  Habeeba starts to wonder what else she can do to gain taqwa, but the thought seems lost as she makes a special prayer, and breaks her fast early.

Later at the masjid, the little boy in front of Habeeba makes focusing on duaa hard, and when she is in sujood, she finds herself drifting off to sleep. Day after day she struggles with the temptations of delicious treats, and slipping off to sleep in the comforts of the masjid at night.

The last week of Ramadan, Habeeba breaks down to Sumaya who tells her she is doing great, and that remembering Allah “also means being mindful of their community.” Together they plan to participate in a service project to help the community and give back.  Before the end of the month, Habeeba fasts a whole day and with her family’s encouragement, hopeful that in time she will fast everyday and stay awake in prayer.

The first page did not set the tone as a polished read, I am terrible at grammar, but “like watermelon, pomegranates, and homemade muffins.” What foods are like watermelon and pomegranates, those are the foods on the table, so maybe “such as” or drop the comparison word all together and just say what is on the table and what we are seeing in the illustration. Throughout it felt like sentences were choppy, and when read aloud commas were missing. The diction also seemed off to me in describing taqwa, not wrong, just stilted and not relatable to the demographic as it is stated, but not really shown. Do six year olds understand mindfulness? It goes from fasting is to gain taqwa, because we want to get closer to Allah, to it being hard to concentrate and practice mindfulness, to “Remembering Allah during Ramadan also means being mindful to their community.”  The backmatter says “Taqwa is achieved by being mindful of Allah and remembering to do one’s best every day- especially during Ramadan.”  I feel like words and phrases are being used interchangeably and not in a way that connects dots of understanding for the reader.  A bit more on level articulation is needed.  And I know I don’t like exposition, but it needs smoothing out and clarity. A few signposts to tie back to the theme, with word choice that kids will understand.  They don’t need to be hit over the head that fasting and praying and charity is worship, but they should grasp that little Habeeba is pushing herself to keep trying day after day to gain taqwa.  Perhaps if Baba at the end would have been proud of her efforts to keep trying instead of saying, “I am most proud of you for sharing Ramadan with everyone.” The point of Ramadan and taqwa would have come through.  I realize it needed that line to make the title make sense, but honestly that is not what the book is about.  Only four pages address the community.  I have no idea why the first day Habeeba wonders about other ways to get closer to Allah swt, sidenote there is no attribution in the story or backmatter, and it is abandoned until the end of the book and the last week of the month.  It very easily could have been threaded in and would have fleshed out the title and the different aspects of Ramadan, growing closer to Allah, and finding ways to help the community.

I did love the school community, from the teacher to the librarian, it is delightful to see support from the larger community in our lives, and models how simple and easy it can be to create a safe and encouraging environment.  The relatability of the characters being so excited and ambitious the first day, going back to sleep after fajr, finding distraction annoying, and getting so tired during salat was also relatable.  To be seen in such familiar acts will bring smiles to readers and reassurance that we are all so very similar in so many ways.

I felt the star and moon motifs were overdone for no effect, what even are “moon and star charms?’ It seemed tropey and superficial, same with the goody bag and the beginning being a sign of babies and then lovingly embraced at the end.  If meant to show the sisters relationship coming full circle it missed the mark for me, as truthfully I didn’t find the sisters relationship to be a proper characterization of the story at all. Habeeba compares herself to Sumaya, wanting to be as good as her, but Sumaya is rather kind and just used as a foil. She spends time at the library with her, encourages her and helps her. It is not a sibling relationship focused story, and adding a crumb here and there, just seemed like the book didn’t know where it wanted to go.

Had the book not been checked by a named Shaykh who consulted on the story, I’d be a little more worried  about the messaging that we fast for taqwa and not that we fast because Allah swt commands it, and that when we do fast we foster that closeness to Allah.  I also found it odd that the backmatter says Ramadan is “set during the ninth month.” Ramadan is the ninth month.

The first reading or two will be joyful and fun, I have no doubt, few will read it as often as I did. I also doubt anyone will take the time to be this critical. But I do hope at the very least, if you have a little one trying to fast, you will not have tempting treats and desserts out every afternoon after school.  And that you did notice the one day she wasn’t home, Habeeba was able to complete her first fast.

Jan10

Upside-Down Iftar by Maysa Odeh illustated by Nadina Issa

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Upside-Down Iftar by Maysa Odeh illustated by Nadina Issa

This 32 page picture book is beautifully illustrated and set in Ramadan with the premise being Teta can’t fast because of a new medication she is on, so Malak, who is also not fasting, and her are going to make makloubeh for iftar.  From there the story follows most food centered books with everyone adding their favorites until the iftar meal is one of a kind and brings the family together.  The Palestinian rep in the illustrations, and the mention of asr and maghrib salat, along with the refrain of “inshallah” and Arabic phrases threaded throughout make for a joyful read any time of the year. Unfortunately the first page was hard for me to get past.  Why is Mama staying “up late singing prayers in her closet” a sign for the little girl that it is Ramadan? Why is she singing prayers? Why is she in a closet? Alhumdulillah, the rest of the story was less awkward and I love that it highlights that sometimes ailments and medications make fasting not possible.  The messaging that every family is unique, just like makloubeh is relatable and easy for kids to grasp as well.  The backmatter contains a recipe, the dust jacket slips off to show a vertical filling of the pot with “everything Makloubeh” and the detailed illustrations will both introduce some kids to the popular dish, and celebrate a favorite familiar meal for others.

The book starts with the moon smiling her Cheshire cat smile and Ramadan beginning.  This is the first year that Teta is not fasting, and Malak decides she will have Teta teach her how to make iftar, but not just any iftar, upside down Makloubeh!

It starts out with Teta explaining the process and getting started, but then Jido comes in and wants eggplant added. Then khalo sneaks in to let them know that he likes potatoes in his. When Mama gets home from work with cauliflower, she is swept off to pray asr, and Malak decides she wants to add her favorite to the mix.

When Maghrib athan time comes, the big reveal, the flip, and then the first bites take place, revealing a “makloubeh with a little bit of everything.” A dish so yummy that Teta and Malak might be making iftar every night.

Nov7

The Land of La La La by Sana Saghafi illustrated by Azam Vazehimogadam

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The Land of La La La by Sana Saghafi illustrated by Azam Vazehimogadam

This gorgeous and powerful 36 page picture book goes back in time to a Palestine where the struggles of today are still found, along with the resilience of the people, determination of the women, ingenuity of the children, love and hope.  The book is so strongly unapologetic in its portrayal of marbles representing strategy of kids to battle the giants aka soldiers, of children being imprisoned, of the occupiers being outsmarted by the people, and the joy that persists despite the attempts of erasure. The story within a story…within a story(?), doesn’t name Palestine until the very end, after the stories at hand have wrapped up, and doesn’t disclose that it is based on a true story, except for in the blurb.  It is also worth highlighting that the book is not OWN voice or sourced.  I still am sharing though because it is positioned as happening long ago, and thus hopefully not further erasing a Palestinian voice, but rather sharing a story to prevent it from being lost.  I do not know the author, illustrator, or publishers’ intent, this is simply my view and I am happy to be corrected if I have arrogantly overstepped.  



The book starts with a lullaby lilting through the air, the la la las, connecting the women caring for their children. Mama Laya is busy so Big Brother Bilal is playing with the children, marking which soldiers have been defeated on the paper that matches the marble game in the lane. When the giants take him away the children run to find Daddy Salim.

The searching children and family find Bilal in prison, and the giants don’t speak the language of the people to be reasoned with, so they must figure out a way to free him on their own.  Mama and the children have a picnic outside the prison and secret filled lullaby conveys the plan right under the giants’ noses. With Bilal free, the women gather to teach each other a secret way to communicate, to resist, to hope, in the lullabies that they sing.

There is no religion mentioned, but the title page begins, “In the Name of God,” and numerous characters are depicted wearing hijab.  I read a digital arc and I hope the printed version has backmatter to highlight that the author is not Palestinian, when this would have taken place, and if it is accurate.  Authenticity and accuracy are important, and I hope the book clarifies what is real, what is imagined, an where the information came from.

 

Oct29

Here’s Our Religion by Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Dasril Iqbal Al Faruqi

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Here’s Our Religion by Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Dasril Iqbal Al Faruqi

This HUGE 14 page board book is such an engaging, teachable, and shareable book for toddler to early elementary aged children.  Similar to the author’s First Words in the Qur’an I can see this book being shared at story times and in classrooms regularly.  Each two page spread is literally a board book in and of itself.  With headings of: Ummah, Shahadah/Qur’an, Salah, Ramadan, Zaqat/Sadaqa, Hajj, and Prophet Muhammad (saw)/ Sunnah, kids will be able to deduce from the pictures and simple captions how the details relate to the theme, learn new information, review what they already know, and delight in the illustrations.

I don’t know that I would sit down with a toddler or preschooler and just read the book straight through very often, but when I was doing multiple story times a week, I had planned books for every theme highlighted in this book. I would have loved to be able to pull it out after a few stories had been read and used it as a review, where I could point to a picture and the kids could holler out what the illustration was teaching.  The large size would have saved me from having to make story board pieces, and the critical thinking would encourage comprehension and retention.  Example: learning about salah, and then opening to the salah spread, kids could see the vacuuming child and decode that we pray in clean places, that the picture of four people praying together is to learn/remind/teach that it is better to pray together.  

 

 

Oct20

Sameer and Snazzy: Kindness Counts by Emma L. Halim illustrated by Herry Prihamdni

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Sameer and Snazzy: Kindness Counts by Emma L. Halim illustrated by Herry Prihamdni

The 32 page faceless picture book for toddlers and up, is set in Australia and follows Sameer and his cat Snazzy on a bushwalk.  At first I felt like it might be a little bit like the classic, “And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street,” but the structured story with a repetitive refrain adds in Islamic phrases, silly encounters, and examples of kindness that make it unique.  Add in a fun surprise at the end, and like many other books by the author, be prepared to have it memorized as your little ones ask for it over and over again.

The book starts with Sameer look forward to his grandpa coming to visit, but wishing he had something exciting to share with him.  Snazzy suggests he shares that he can talk to animals, but Sameer knows no one would ever believe that, so the two set off on a bushwalk to find something exciting.

When they hear an “A-choooooo!” in the trees, the fun is just getting started with Miss Koala sneezing and making eucalyptus leaves fall. The duo finds a way to help, but the fallen leaves mean ants are stuck in their home and can’t get out.  Once again, Sameer and Snazzy, find a way to help.  After each episode the refrain of, “‘Imagine if I told Grandpa this!”‘ I say to Snazzy.  ‘He’d never believe you! he smiles.  ‘NO-ONE WOULD!’ We laugh together and continue along the path, when suddenly…”

The book ends with a surprise, that I won’t spoil. The backmatter has a reference to Surah An-Naml and explains that Prophet Sulayman peace be upon him, really could speak to animals.  There is also a glossary of the Islamic phrases and a QR code to continue to the fun after the story ends.

The book is a bit more text heavy than some of her others, but the illustrations are fun, and will keep kid’s attention.  It does not rhyme, but has a cadence that makes reading it aloud easy. The small size makes the book better suited to bed time, but could work in a story time, and would be wonderful tuned into a story board/felt board read aloud.  The book is a universal story, but at some point in Islamic fiction self published and small published books, I think we will need to have open dialogue and discussions if having characters that are not the same race as the author or illustrator is appropriate and beneficial, or is misleading and better to avoid.

***EDIT: The author reached out to me asking me to remove this generalized opinion of me calling upon the need to have discussion, I opted to amend, as I think we need to have conversation and believe intention and purpose in whatever one decides is a benefit.  So, to avoid errors in interpreting her ask, I will simply post the screen shots, and my response.  Please note I did not tag the author in my Instagram post, she reached out to me.  I purchased the book, it was not gifted.

Oct9

Steet Puppy, Masjid Cat by Moniza Hossain illustrated by Wastana Haikal

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Steet Puppy, Masjid Cat by Moniza Hossain illustrated by Wastana Haikal

I was a little nervous opening the book, I didn’t know if it was going to be a “Lady and the Tramp” type retelling, and I was unsure how dogs would be presented, but I sure was not prepared for the absolute adorableness that unfolded.  The simple rhyming lines contrasting the street puppy’s life to that of the pampered cat in the masjid, to their meeting, and the sweet imam leading with kindness warmed my heart.  The real chef’s kiss is the backmatter that doesn’t source, but references the sunnah of “acts of charity to every beast alive,” and notes that dogs, unlike cats, are not allowed in the mosque for religious reasons.  I love that “masjid” is in the title, that the author’s note and glossary explain adhan, imam, and the Quran, and ultimately that friendship amongst differences is the takeaway for all readers.  I don’t love that the adhan in the text is described as ringing and the imam as singing, but I acknowledge my pickiness.  And while I love that Prophet Muhammad saw is mentioned in the author’s note, I do wish salutations were given afterward.  The illustrations on every one of the 32 pages are delightful, and I love that the image on the jacket is different than the one on the book itself.  For ages 3 and up, and even emerging readers, this book has a lot of heart, and my 6 year old has read it aloud so many times, I just might have it memorized.

The book starts with simple rhyming lines showing the contrasting life of the cat and the dog, from their daily activities, to how other’s treat them.  When they meet, the cat is not too welcoming, but the imam shows the puppy kindness and the cat follows suit.  As simple as sharing and giving each other a chance, creates a friendship between the two animals, and a beautiful conclusion even the littlest children will understand.

The book is not didactic, and the role of the imam and setting of the masjid, for Muslim kids will be such a spark of joy, but in no way will it limit non Muslim children from connecting with the story.  The benefit for all is seeing a masjid environment and a Muslim in action, normalizing both, and inshaAllah reminding us all to be a little kinder to our animal friends.

Oct7

Zamzam for Everyone: Sharing Water at Hajj by Razeena Omar Gutta illustrated by Bassent Dawoud

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Zamzam for Everyone: Sharing Water at Hajj by Razeena Omar Gutta illustrated by Bassent Dawoud

This joyful 32 page picture book is both adorable and educational. Layers of Hajj and Zamzam threaded through with the global reach of Islam, generosity, food, language, and a little girl with a big smile brightening every encounter, is heartfelt and tender. Each reading has me smiling and marveling at the illustrations, amount of information simply conveyed, and the way it all comes together to offer both a window and a mirror for readers of all ages, particularly 3 and up.  The robust backmatter allows older readers to benefit, and with pronunciation guides, cultural and religious oversight noted, this book will be a favorite at bedtime and story times in Islamic and public schools, libraries, and gatherings.  SubhanAllah, the book is really well done and such a gift to us all to see Hajj and Zamzam unapologetically and proudly presented through little Mariam’s eyes.  It will leave children feeling like they just had a warm hug, and inshaAllah making dua’a that they too will be invited to Hajj soon.  

The book starts with Mariam feeling blessed to be one of the millions of people at Hajj. Her mother encourages her to be good, share, and be grateful all while staying hydrated, as it will be tiring.  She tries to come up with what she can do to get blessings, in addition to smiling, when she realizes sharing her Zamzam water will be the most beneficial. 

She helps an old lady find a seat and gives her some Zamzam, the Pakistani lady says, “shukria” and gives her dates in return. When she shares with some Indonesian sisters and is told “Terimah Kasih” she is handed some pandan cookies in gratitude.  This continues all throughout her Umrah with pilgrims and workers from different countries thanking her in different languages and sharing something back with her.  

It carries on through the steps of her Hajj, even when Makkah is far away. And even when she returns to her home, she shares the Zamzam to bring a part of Hajj to those that stayed at home.

The backmatter tells the story of Zamzam, information about the treats mentioned from around the world, information about Hajj with a glossary as well as the steps of Umrah and Hajj, information about the author and illustrator, and who helped insure accuracy of all the cultural and religious content included.

The book comes out in January 2026, and appears to be available in both hardback and paperback, please preorder to show support.

 

Sep5

The Prince of Stars: Ulugh Beg’s Quest to Map the Stars and Seasons by M.O. Yuksel illustrated by Zelma Firdauzia

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The Prince of Stars: Ulugh Beg’s Quest to Map the Stars and Seasons by M.O. Yuksel illustrated by Zelma Firdauzia

This gorgeous 40 page picture book biography is both flowing in its storytelling and informative in its sourced details of a fairly unknown, underappreciated figure.  I was humbled reading this book and learning about the accomplishments of someone I had never heard of before.  Truly this book, bringing to the attention of our young and old ones alike, such a remarkable figure, is a much needed gift.  The publisher suggests the book for 4-8 year olds, but I think it also will appeal to older readers familiar with Copernicus, Galileo, and Ptolemy and who will appreciate the efforts driven by curiosity from someone so long ago. The diction in a few lines did give me pause, but nothing that overshadows how well the author has once again proven to master the storytelling of non fiction Muslim accomplishments in an engaging, accessible, exciting way for today’s audiences.

The book opens with a map of the Timurid Empire in 1405, before showing the reader a young prince, Ulugh Beg, gazing out and the stars and wondering how many there are.  The next spread makes no sense to me, but I acknowledge others might not be bothered, how can the young boy be watching days fade into weeks, into months, into years, and then wonder how many days are in a year? Seems that either those terms weren’t yet around, or some details about the generalized meaning made him curious about the specifics.  Either way, him wanting to know how many days in a year and the changing of seasons, along with counting the stars are the questions he wonders about as a child and works to answer throughout his life.

The king of the Timurid Empire, Ulugh Beg’s grandfather, insured his intelligent grandson had the best teachers and was allowed to travel, learn, and follow him curiosity.  At 15, when Ulugh Beg became the ruler of Turkistan, he built a madrasa and invited scholars, artists, students, philosophers, and inventors to attend making Turkistan “a mecca of learning.”  Yes, the usage of mecca here made me laugh.  I know it is appropriate, but it seemed a little on the noise in a book where Mecca, the direction we pray is also mentioned.  The book then details the controversy of studying the stars, as astrology and astronomy at the time, were seen as one and the same.  And with only God knowing the future, he had to assert that he was curious about the science of the stars and planets.

I love that faith and Islam is centered and that the inscription on his school is “Seeking knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and woman.” But it alludes that this is a hadith, and while I agree it is inspired by a saying of Prophet Muhammad (saw), I think adding the man and woman part, where to the best of my knowledge the hadith is just “every Muslim,” is something that should be clarified. None-the-less, that it was Ulugh Beg’s motto, so to speak, and that he made a point to articulate “woman” is remarkable.  He determined the exact time of the five daily prayers, the direction to Mecca, and the dates of holidays.

He also built the world’s largest observatory, and numerous tools, including the Fakhri sextant to measure the location of the stars and movement of planets.  He encouraged being challenged and challenging others’ findings, and over 17 years wrote a star catalog of more than 1,000 stars. He answered how many days in a year, down to the seconds, why the seasons change, and inspired future astronomers and scientists.

As incredible as the story is, the backmatter is equally impressive with an Author’s Note, Ulugh Beg’s Biography, a Glossary, Astronomical Timeline, Bibliography, Further Reading, and Acknowledgements.

The illustrations are the cherry on top, somehow I don’t love the cover, but the inside spreads are nice and match the tone of the words and the detail of what he was accomplishing.  The book is on preorder and I hope, teachers, librarian, and families will prioritize learning about him, and giving him credit for what he helped us to understand, about our world.

Sep4

Dark Nights and Light Hearts: A Muslim Book of Opposites by Hena Khan illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

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Dark Nights and Light Hearts: A Muslim Book of Opposites by Hena Khan illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

Every few years, for the last 13 or so, we get a new title in this series, and each one warms my cynical heart with its unapologetic Islamic representation and vibrancy.  The heartfelt rhyming lines, the Islam centering, and the enveloping illustration make these books timeless, sought after, and beloved.  This installment covers opposites, previous books in the series focused on colors, shapes, and numbers. From the BIG ummah to a SMALL baby’s aqiqah, HOT oud to COLD rain bringing barakah, SLOW honey full of shifa to FAST cars heading to Jummah, the book uses two page spreads per each term in the opposite pair with rhyming couplets in large clear font to introduce/remind, describe, and highlight an Islamic tradition.  As both opposites and Islam are conveyed, the cadence and illustrations pull Muslim and non Muslim children in and make the book delightful at storytime, in small groups, at bedtime, and for kids to look through on their own, over and over again.  Alhumdulillah.

The book is 36 pages with a Glossary of Islamic words at the end with an Author’s Note.  It is available wherever books are sold and a great reminder that well done Islamic books can make it from traditional publishers.

 

May3

Sunnah and Science: What Modern Research Tells Us about Prophetic Traditions by Aquila Fatima illustrated by Azra Momin

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Sunnah and Science: What Modern Research Tells Us about Prophetic Traditions by Aquila Fatima illustrated by Azra Momin

The title and premise of this hardbound 54 page resource book for children definitely caught my eye.  The contents covered, the two page fully illustrated compelling spreads, and the intext labeling of hadith and Quranic ayats make this book versatile in homes and classrooms for a wide variety of ages.  As the daughter of a convert, the knowledge that science is not in contradiction to Islam is something I grew up hearing about a lot in casual conversation, and I love that this book addresses it head on for children with pull out bubbles, reminders, fun facts, duas, and the like.  My only concern that I truly can’t wrap my head around, is why isn’t their sourcing for the “scientific” information? Nothing is overly scientific, and nothing “feels” off, but none-the-less, the book repeatedly says “Research shows,” and “Science proves,” “Scientists are still,” “Scientific research says,” but never once shares what scientist, or research, or science.  The book has the space for footnotes or sourcing or a bibliography, and in a book trying to give readers the confidence to show how the sunnah and science support one another, to not have the sourcing to back it up, is a glaring admission.  Buried in the author bio it states the author has “a Masters degree in genetics” and worked as a “science teacher for elementary school students,” but to me, the book needs to back up the statements to successfully empower and accomplish what it sets out to do.  I hope future printings will include sufficient backmatter, even without the book is well done, but the standard is the standard for good reason, non fiction needs sourcing.

The book covers 25 topics, dedicating two pages to each topic, with a title heading, and an Islamic source subheading.  The topics include, smiling, rain, sleeping, swimming, wudu, salah, fasting, honey, cleanliness, bathroom etiquette, yawning and hygiene to name a few.

Most pages contain facts, ayats from the Quran, sunnahs, benefits, supporting scientific tie ins, and adorable illustrations.  The book concludes with an author’s note, thoughts by readers on the book, and an author bio.