Tag Archives: writing

Dec2

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim

Posted on December 2, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

This new YA book features Muslim characters, but is not a religious conscious read that fits in the halal category. There is a lot of Islam: waking up for fajr, celebrating Eid, a hijabi, mention of jummah, but the OWN voice rom com sets boundaries based on Bangladeshi culture and American perspectives. The book does not other, or have internalized Islamophobia, or fall in to tropes of oppression and rebelling- quite the contrary- it normalizes everything: LGBTQ+ relationships, dating, music, etc. The book is well written from a literary perspective: easy read, fleshed out characters, resolved plot lines, I wish there would have been more slow burn and heightened emotion, and cathartic release, but it happily held my attention for 388 pages, so I can’t really complain about plot holes or development. The problem I have as an Islamic School Librarian is the non issue dating and romance is for the characters with their parents knowledge, both lesbian and heterosexual. The book doesn’t get graphic, in fact there is only a handful of kisses, but there is a lot of hand holding and pdas in front of parents and even a sleepover with a lesbian couple in a Muslim family’s home, again, nothing “racy” occurs, but the normalization is worth noting for those thinking a Salaam Reads book is going to be a more Islamically centered publication.

SYNOPSIS:

Zahra Khan has graduated high school, and while she’d love to be heading to Columbia to study writing with her best friends, she is stuck deferring her admission and scholarships, and hiding her dream to be an author. Two years earlier her father has passed away and Zahra works in a tea shop to help keep a roof over the heads of her mother, grandmother, and siblings. In the Bangladeshi community in Patterson, New Jersey Zahra’s mom imagines arranging a marriage to a wealthy family for Zahra to ease their financial stresses. When a potential match comes a possible reality, Zahra takes control to try and keep the peace and keep her dreams within reach. In Jane Austin-y feels, a love triangle emerges, friends step up, culture and family touchstones shared and appreciated, and decisions about the future will have to be figured out at 18 years old.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I loved how easy a read the book is, the cultural framing was warm and rich and never overly explained or apologized for. It is what it is, it is who the characters are, and while at times they push back on the negatives, it doesn’t disregard the love that exists at the core. Unfortunately, I really struggled though with the ease in which the characters date with their parents’ knowledge, hold hands, cuddle. I really couldn’t imagine a practicing Muslim family being so supportive of a lesbian daughter in the way that the Tahir family is and allowing a sleepover, nor could I see a hafiz attending musical concerts and Bollywood movies or an imam passing on “love” notes, even side comments about a loan between mother and daughter being paid back with interest felt off. I know I know, there are lots of shades of Muslims, but the normalcy of haram I feel in a review of this book should be noted. It isn’t side mentions, they are central to the story and large portions of the book. The reason I also feel they are worthy of note, is because the book includes a lot of Islam as well. The characters pray and fast and eat halal. They are conscious of chaperones in some settings and keeping things appropriate. There is no doubt that the characters are Muslim, but I think intentionally, to avoid perhaps critiques such as mine, Islam is not used as a reason to do or not do anything, Islam is not used in the thought process or conscience of the characters, culture is. There is no haram police setting boundaries, it just isn’t what “good Deshi girls do.” To be fair, I don’t think the author has ever claimed that this is a halal love story, or that the characters are exploring their Muslim identities, it is a love story that features Muslims is all.

FLAGS:

Straight and sapphic relationships, secret relationships, kissing, hand holding, hugging, lying, music, loss, bullying, interest.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would not be able to use this book, it would be very damaging to be given to a Muslim child from a Muslim teacher in an Islamic school. It normalizes a lot of haram in a familiar Islamic framing that I think would really confuse YA readers who see themselves and see no push back or consequences for actions they know to be against Islamic ideology.

Apr4

Abdul’s Story by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow illustrated by Tiffany Rose

Posted on April 4, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Abdul’s Story by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow illustrated by Tiffany Rose

I really don’t know what more you could want from a 40 page brightly illustrated picture book for ages 5 and up. I felt seen, I got a little emotional, I was inspired, I smiled, I felt compassion and empathy, hope and nervousness. I was reminded of the power of role models, of getting down on a child’s level, literally. I was reassured that we all make mistakes, learn differently, and can still thrive. Suffice it to say the book is moving. The OWN voice lyricism will resonate with children of all colors, but that the messaging is from a Black Muslim boy and is so unapologetic and proud and beautiful, makes the emotions Abdul feels palpable. Every classroom bookshelf needs this book, every child needs to hear it, read it, and explore the layers contained within. Alhumdulillah.

The book starts out with absolute joy. Abdul loves to tell stories. Writing stories, however, is something else. The letters are tricky, they get turned around, they aren’t straight and crisp like the one’s the barber cuts. His pages don’t look like the neat lines of his classmates.

He decides that maybe his stories aren’t for books. It isn’t like he even sees stories like his in books: stories about the people and places that he knows.

Then one day a visitor comes to class, Mr. Muhammad, and he is a writer. He encourages the children to, “write new stories with new superheroes.” Abdul tries, but he keeps making mistakes, and then he has to erase, and before long his paper is covered in smudges and holes.

Mr. Muhammad encourages Abdul to keep trying and fix the messes later, Abdul has an idea, and with a “bismillah,” he gives it another go. There is no perfection, there is just determination. The struggles, success, and support of his peers and Mr. Muhammad, just might change Abdul’s mind about his stories.

I love that the book is Black centered and Muslim centered. There is praying salat, mention of bean pies, a classmate in hijab, and saying of Bismillah. I’ve read the book seven or so times and it has yet to get old. The characters burst with personality, even the side ones, that I’m positive it will be a favorite at story time and bedtime alike.

Can be purchased at Crescent Moon Store or Amazon

Aug19

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai illustrated by Kerascoet

Posted on August 19, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai illustrated by Kerascoet

I’m going to try my best to review a nonfiction autobiographical book and focus on the story, not on the author because yikes, Pakistanis have strong opinions about Malala, and I have no desire to get pulled in to an argument. I’m half Pakistani, I know the position of both sides.

I have read both the Young Readers Edition and original I Am Malala books, so I didn’t jump to review this book in 2017 when this AR 3.6 40 page re-re-telling of her story came out. After reading numerous other children’s books about girls in the subcontinent striving to go to school and be educated, I thought maybe the controversy had calmed down and I could read this large hardbound book a bit more objectively, and thus focus on the story a bit more.

The book is listed as a biography, not an autobiography, so I’m not sure Malala even wrote the book, but none the less it is a synopsis of her story for younger elementary children.

Starting off a bit like Harold and the Purple Crayon, Malala asks if the reader believes in magic, and then tells what she would do if she had a magic pencil to draw things that would make other’s happy like a proper soccer ball for her brothers and a way to stop time so she could sleep in a little longer in the morning.

Every night she hopes for a magic pencil, and every morning she is sad one hasn’t appeared. As she starts to notice the world around her she realizes that the kids looking for food and metal scraps in the junk yard, have it much much worse. She asks her father about it and learns that if the children were in school their family’s might go hungry.

As she notices “real” problems around her, her ideas for what her magic pencil could fix, evolves and develops into a burgeoning social conscience. But quickly her naive outlook is changed when dangerous men start to appear on the streets and girls in her class stop coming to school.

Her magic pencil finds real world power when she uses her words and her voice to make a stand and people start to pay attention. The rest of the book highlights how she made progress despite the attempt to stop her and how she now uses her “magic pencil” to work to make a more peaceful world.

The surface story is incredibly hopeful and would motivate young children to notice the world around them and do what they can to improve it. Inquiring children might be alarmed at children going through trash, or want a lot more information about who the scary men are and why they don’t want girls going to school and why she gets to travel around and tell her story. Information that is given at the end of the book in an afterwards of sorts.

Most pages have sparse text and the ones that have a lot are kept on level and avoid being preachy. Even the attempt on her life is present, but not detailed, sufficing to say that they tried to silence her, but failed.

The illustrations are beautiful and tell the story as much as the words do. The book does not mention religion, but in the pictures where she is out of the house her hair is covered, but not when she is at home in bed and whatnot. Obviously it is how she carries her self in real life.

Overall, I think the book is incredibly well done and inspiring to young readers. Anytime a modern day figure can show children that they too have a voice and can use it, I think it is a good thing. The fact that the voice comes from a minority, a female, a person with a name and culture different than the ones in most western children’s text books is also a plus. I hope if nothing else it opens a window to children that there are a lot of amazingly strong and courageous people in all cultures and to seek out their stories.