Tag Archives: Sarah Musa

Feb13

Amir’s Blue Jacket by Sarah Musa illustrated by Rania Hasan

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Amir’s Blue Jacket by Sarah Musa illustrated by Rania Hasan

This heartfelt elementary picture book does a remarkable job of drawing the reader in to the emotions of the main character, his relationship with his grandfather, and imparting a moral message without being preachy. The illustrations are lovely on their own, but the way the muted tones convey the memories and illustrate the text really ties the book together. Whether it is for a larger story time or a one-on-one bedtime read, the book will offer discussion, comfort, guidance, and a little surprise at the end for Muslim and non Muslims alike. The slightly allegorical book does conclude with a widely known hadith (it is attributed to Prophet Muhammad saw, but is not further cited/sourced) and the family is clearly Muslim with their names mentions of Eid and God, and a hijab clad woman, but the book is universal and a lovely addition to any book shelf.

The book starts with Amir finding his Grandpa’s old blue jacket and recalling wrapping himself in it the day after his beloved Grandpa died. With it smelling like mothballs, he tosses it in the washing machine, but unfortunately when it comes out it has clearly shrunk. Amir is in denial, he says it fits fine and he has no desire for a new one. It is Grandpa’s jacket, and Amir is going to wear it, no matter how tight it is. Amir storms off to sit under the apple tree and recalls picking apples and making applesauce the year before for the whole neighborhood. Grandma shares that she used to keep grandpa’s cane but when someone needed it, she let it go.

Grandma stirs another memory in Amir when she pulls the tray of ka’k out of the oven, of him trying to sneak a whole plate for himself only to have his hiding spot taken over by ants. When he is asked this time to share a plate, every step to the neighbors house reminds him even more of making the trip with his grandfather. Slowly he starts to realize that his memories are with him, not in his grandfather’s things, and Amir makes a decision that would make his grandfather proud, and (inshaAllah) give him more good deeds, even though he is gone.

The idea of sadaqah jariyah is understood through the story, and present in the hadith at the back, but it is never mentioned outright. Just as God is used, not the term Allah (swt). As Amir feels denial, frustration, and eventually peace, nothing is really told, it is shown, which really opens the book up to be a tremendous tool in sharing it with children and asking them to discuss what they understand, what they feel, and what they took away from Amir and his Grandpa’s blue jacket story.

The book is available through the publisher Ruqaya’s Bookshelf as well as HERE at Crescent Moon Bookstore where code ISL will save you 10%.

Nov21

My Garden Over Gaza by Sarah Musa illustrated by Saffia Bazlamit

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My Garden Over Gaza by Sarah Musa illustrated by Saffia Bazlamit

This book is hard to read, it hurts the heart, it doesn’t let you claim ignorance regarding the plight of Palestinians, and it shows cruelty,  a specific inexcusable cruelty, in a children’s book that will haunt you and infuriate you for weeks and months, if not indefinitely.  I’ve read a number of Palestine set books, but this one, in its simplicity, leaves me raw.  A child with a rooftop garden that helps feed her family is deliberately targeted by Israeli drones and destroyed.  This isn’t science fiction or dystopian, this is based on real acts.  The book itself threads in themes of hope, of not giving up, of remembering strength of a lost parent, of vowing to move forwards, but the catalyst for it all is not happenstance, and while the details of the occupation and oppression are not stressed and articulated, they are referenced and skillfully present to be discussed with children on their level with the included backmatter at the end.  This book is powerful and should be required reading. It is a difficult read and it has flags, but it is also a glimpse of the reality of our world, and the manner in which this book is told allows for the discussion to taken place with middle grade readers and up. The book is not text heavy, but the nature of the content makes me suggest it for mature children.

Noura, a young girl, is in her home in Gaza when drones are seen just out the window and she quickly pulls her little brother Esam away to safety.  To distract him she tells him about their father and his farm that he used to have in Umm An-Naser.  She explains how the wall cut them off from their land and when the drone noises fade, she takes him up to her rooftop garden to pick green beans.  Their mama works downstairs as a seamstress, and while they wish they had meat, the garden helps them have fresh vegetables.

The next day after Noura gets her little brother ready for the day they head to the roof, but drones arrive and start spraying chemicals on the growing plants, killing them, and sending Noura gasping to breathe.  She tries to cover the plants and swing a shovel at the drone, but it does little to save any of the food and Noura is devastated.

Noura’s mama reassures her daughter that the food can be regrown, but she is irreplaceable, as Noura goes to scrub the chemicals from her skin.  The frustration is real, but determination prevails as the family cleans the garden and begins again, just as their father did.

The last two page spread of the book is a basic map, general touchstones of the situation in Palestine, and the very real drones that fly in to Gaza to surveil, attack, and spray herbicides on crops. You can purchase a copy on the publisher’s website or HERE at Crescent Moon Store.

Aug2

Ahmed and the Very Stuck Teapot by Sarah Musa illustrated by Rania Hassan

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Ahmed and the Very Stuck Teapot by Sarah Musa illustrated by Rania Hassan

This 36 page early elementary book is packed full of choices and lessons packaged in a sweet story that kids and adults will enjoy reading and discussing over and over. My only real critique is the title. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for nearly a year thinking it was just a silly book about a calf with a teapot on her hoof that is stuck and would probably involve different people and methods and attempts to get it off. But the teapot is off by the tenth page, and the story is really just getting started. Like all Ruqaya’s Bookshelf picture books, the large thick shiny pages with a stiff soft cover binding make the story a great choice for storytime and bedtime alike. There are Islamic threads and references, but the story overall is universal.

Ahmed and his friend Tariq are practicing their kite flying skills for tomorrow’s annual competition, when Ahmed’s kite gets destroyed in a tree. Heartbroken Tariq suggests he hurry to buy a new one before the store closes at Maghrib. As the boys rush off they come across a brown calf with a teapot on her hoof. Ahmad recognizes the teapot as his mother’s and feels like he should help the poor animal. Tariq keeps reminding him that the shop will close, but Ahmed decides to take the cow to Amo Waseem’s to get help.

Amo Waseem, is able to help the cow get free, but in the process, the cow get’s hurt. The cow needs help from a shepard, Amo Salih, but Amo Waseem can’t go, and Tariq wants to practice more. Ahmed knows the cow can’t be left untreated, and takes the little cow to get help. The cow then needs to get to his owner, and the story continues until the shop is closed, and Ahmed realizes he won’t have a kite for the competition. He goes to the mosque for salat and starts to feel better, he knows that he did the right thing, and inshaAllah Allah will reward him in some other way. His reward comes quickly, however, much to Ahmed’s surprise and in gratitude he also manages to find a way to help his mother.

I love the gentleness of the lessons of doing what needs to be done, even when you don’t really want to, and your friends are not supporting you. Ahmed had chances to walk away, but he didn’t and he was at peace with the outcome. His friend wasn’t mean or bad, he just made different choices. There are discussion questions at the end as well. I think this book would foster great conversation with even the littlest listeners, and I can’t wait to share it at our masjid’s storytime.