Tag: community

Posted in Books, Reviews

The Most Exciting Eid By Zeba Talkhani

Posted on by hijabilibrarians

Talkhani, Zeba. The Most Exciting Eid. Illus. by Abeeha Tariq Feb. 2024. 24p. Scholastic, $7.99. ISBN 9781338877816.  Grades PreK – 2

In this Eid story, Safa and her family, cued as having Pakistani heritage, see the new moon marking the end of Ramadan. Knowing that it is now Eid ul-Fitr, Safa looks forward to all the things her family will do. There is decoration of their home, henna decoration for hands, and preparation for the next day which will bring a family party with new outfits, delicious food, and presents. In her prayers Safa asks Allah for a new bicycle, and is delighted when she gets it, but when her cousin Alissa asks if she can have a turn on the bicycle, Safa does not want to share.

Though it is during the party, Safa’s mother calls her into the kitchen telling her that this year she is now old enough to help to bring food to their neighbors and visit with them. While on their visits, Safa spends time thinking about how they make their neighbors happy and how sharing makes her feel connected to others. Finally, Safa and her mother stop at her grandparents’ house. She is happy to see them, but there is no explanation as to why her grandparents are not at the family party. Returning home, Alissa tells Safa that she had been looking for her, and later pages show them riding bicycles. Readers may wonder why the narrative wanders in its sequence, but the celebration of Eid and discussions of sharing and the spirit of giving may help families introduce their children to Eid, Islamic phrases, concepts, and practices while also observing interwoven aspects of Pakistani Muslim culture.

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Chef Yasmina And The Potato Panic by Wauter Mannaert

Posted on by hijabilibrarians

Mannaert, Wauter,; Illustrated by Wauter Mannaert; Translated By Montana Kane. Chef Yasmina And The Potato Panic. Jan. 26, 2021, 160pp. First Second, $14.99. (9781250622044). Grades 3-6

Chef Yasmina And The Potato Panic, a graphic novel by Belgian artist Wauter Mannart and translated by Montana Kane, follows 11-year-old aspiring chef Yasmina. Yasmina and her father Omran live in an apartment in Brussels, Yasmina preparing their vegetarian meals to eat at home and for Omar to take to his work at a frites shop. A photograph of a woman wearing hijab implies that Yasmina’s mother has passed away and that the family is Muslim, but there are no indicators of specific racial, ethnic, or cultural identity of the family. Yasmina’s cooking is delicious, their limited budget supplemented by Yasmina’s resourceful foraging and friends running community gardens. Still times are tight, and despite her initial reservations, Yasmina finds herself occasionally sneaking onto the lush rooftop garden of her mysterious upstairs neighbor to pilfer ingredients. 

When a big potato corporation buys up farms in the city and its outskirts things change for Yasmina. The company wants to monopolize the potato market with genetically modified crops, engineered to be irresistibly addictive, so much so that the populace start displaying bizarrely gluttonous, aggressive zombie-ish behavior. Yasmina no longer has access to as much fresh produce and her visits to the rooftop garden increase. While Yasmina is discovered she also find out that her elusive neighbor has a surprising link to this disturbing corporate potato scheme. Rallying her friends, Yasmina embarks on a daring (and silly) mission to expose the truth, take down the corporation, and restore balance to her community.

Mannaert’s narrative is fun and charming, but also visually engaging, employing sequential vignettes along with traditional panels to propel the story forward with dynamic action sequences, and find balance between words and illustrations. Older readers or those reading with children can approach the narrative with surface level fun or ask deeper questions around healthy eating, access to fresh produce, and even genetically modified foods. Still, it is up to the readers to engage in nuanced conversation about food access as well as the costs and benefits of GMOs, corporate interests, and food insecurity and shaming of food choices in the context of access and the privilege in food waste, particularly for readers in the United States. Still, this graphic novel raises awareness of access to food in a way that is fun, celebrates joy in cooking, and community. 

Zain’s Super Friday by Hena Khan ; illustrated by Nez Riaz

Main_zains-super-friday-cover_hires_largeZain’s Super Friday
by Hena Khan; illustrated by Nez Riaz
Lee & Low

Join Zain and his dad on a special visit to their local mosque to attend jumu’ah prayers in this heartwarming picture book from the author of Under My Hijab.

Early Friday morning, Zain leaps out of bed ready to save the world from alien invaders! But his dad has other plans for Zain on this special day of the week. Dad takes Zain to the mosque and guides him through his first jumu’ah prayers. But Zain’s quest for a superhero adventure leads to supersize distractions. Can Zain rein in his powerful impulses and appreciate this special experience with his dad and community?

With spirited text by award-winning author Hena Khan and dynamic illustrations by artist Nez Riaz, Zain’s Super Friday is a celebration of Muslim traditions, imagination, and the joy of community.

Cover image and summary via Lee & Low

Aliya’s Secret A Story Of Ramadan by Farida Zaman

Aliya’s Secret
A Story Of Ramadan
By Farida Zaman
Owlkids Books

A heartwarming celebration of Ramadan, food, and community

Ramadan is coming, and as Abba and Ammi prepare for their month-long fast, Aliya hugs a secret to her chest: she’s going to fast too! Ammi says she’s still too young to fast, but Aliya is determined. At school, she refuses her snack, her lunch—even the cupcakes Sanjay’s mom drops off for his birthday. But when she gets home, she can’t resist Ammi’s sweet, syrupy baklava. Before Aliya can stop herself, she reaches out and takes a big bite.

Aliya is disappointed in herself, but Ammi explains that there are many other ways to celebrate Ramadan besides fasting, like performing acts of kindness! Together, Aliya and her parents spend the month preparing and delivering meals to people in need.

This joyful look at Ramadan is based on the author’s own childhood experiences and is rich with facts and details about the holiday. Readers familiar and unfamiliar with the holiest month in the Islamic calendar will get swept up in the festivities, and perhaps be inspired to share a meal with their community.

Cover image and summary via Owlkids Books

Sister Friend by Jamilah Thompkins-bigelow, Illustrated By Shahrzad Maydani

Sister Friend
by Jamilah Thompkins-bigelow, Illustrated By Shahrzad Maydani
Abrams

Perfect for fans of The Day You Begin and Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away, author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrator Shahrzad Maydani’s Sister Friend is a heartwarming new picture book celebrating the unique joy of cultivating friendships within your cultural community.

Ameena feels invisible. It’s been that way since she started at her new school. But now there is another new girl in class. Ameena sees her brownness and her hijab, even though the other kids do not.

Ameena wants to be her friend, but she can’t seem to find the right words or do the right things. Until one day, they find them together: “Assalamu Alaikum, Sister. Welcome.”

Cover image and summary via Abrams

Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs by Razeena Omar Gutta

Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs
by Razeena Omar Gutta
Illustrated by Manal Mirza
Barefoot Books

Hana has a humongous collection of hijabs and accessories – and her hijab is always styled superbly. But when her overflowing collection gets a little out of hand, Hana knows something needs to be done…and comes up with a clever plan for sharing her talents and possessions with her community! Young makers will chuckle along with this humorous tale of creative problem-solving and learning to help others.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

 

Our World Is a Family: Our Community Can Change the World by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson

Our World Is a Family: Our Community Can Change the World
by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson, illustrated by Nomar Perez
Sourcebooks Explore / Sourcebooks

We’re all one big family, no matter where you’re from! Dive into this uplifting picture book and learn how to welcome neighbors into your community—particularly when they might be far from home

When we see someone new in our neighborhood, how can we help them feel safe and loved and important?

How can we tell them, you’re not alone?

There are so many ways!

Our World is a Family is a picture book exploring the complicated topic of human migration in a gentle, loving, and affirming way. It lightly touches on the reason people might leave their homes, like climate change or lack of safety, and inspires children to welcome their new neighbors into their communities with love.

An uplifting look at migration and, ultimately, human connection that champions diversity and inclusion.

Summary and cover image via Edelweiss

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen
Inkyard Press / HarperCollins

Dear White People meets Love, Hate, and Other Filters in this powerful, thought-provoking own-voices debut novel about three Black Muslim girls who create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths the country doesn’t see.

In this compelling and thought-provoking debut novel, after a terrorist attack rocks the country and anti-Islamic sentiment stirs, three Black Muslim girls create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths.

Sabriya has her whole summer planned out in color-coded glory, but those plans go out the window after a terrorist attack near her home. When the terrorist is assumed to be Muslim and Islamophobia grows, Sabriya turns to her online journal for comfort. You Truly Assumed was never meant to be anything more than an outlet, but the blog goes viral as fellow Muslim teens around the country flock to it and find solace and a sense of community.

Soon two more teens, Zakat and Farah, join Bri to run You Truly Assumed and the three quickly form a strong friendship. But as the blog’s popularity grows, so do the pushback and hateful comments. When one of them is threatened, the search to find out who is behind it all begins, and their friendship is put to the test when all three must decide whether to shut down the blog and lose what they’ve worked for…or take a stand and risk everything to make their voices heard.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Posted in Books, Reviews

Review: Halal Hot Dogs

Posted on by Mahasin Abuwi Aleem

This review was originally published in School Library Journal, April 1, 2021. Additional images from publisher’s website. Halal Hot Dogs will be published on May 4, 2021.

Review: Halal Hot Dogs

by Susannah Aziz (text), illus. by Parwinder Singh. Little Bee Books. May 2021. 40p. Tr $17.99 ISBN 9781499811575

Gr 2–4—It’s Friday, Musa’s favorite day of the week—the day his family, including his mother, father, siblings, and grandfather walk together to attend Jummah prayer service at a local masjid and have a special meal together afterward. After weeks of waiting and enduring some food mishaps, it’s finally Musa’s turn to choose the family’s post-Jummah treat. He knows exactly what he wants: halal hot dogs from a stand near the masjid, topped with Salam sauce, of course.

This lively tale chronicles Musa’s Friday adventure through the streets of his vibrant urban neighborhood. Bright cartoon illustrations contribute to the feel of the story. While the family’s ethnic identity isn’t explicitly identified, references to dishes such as molokhia and kefte, and mentions of cultural traditions (debke, a folk dance popular in Palestinian and Lebanese communities), as well as depictions of family members wearing traditional dress, offer an unabashed representation of a loving and positive Middle Eastern family. Community members at the masjid and in the neighborhood are depicted in various skin tones, shapes, and sizes, with names representing diverse ethnic backgrounds. A glossary of Arabic words and terms and an explanation of halal laws provide additional context.

VERDICT An enjoyable tour of food, faith, and family.

—Mahasin A. Aleem, Oakland P.L., CA

Posted in Books, Reviews

Review: In My Mosque

Posted on by Noureen Qadir Jafar

In My Mosque

Yuksel, M. O. In My Mosque. Illus. by Hatem Aly. 2021. 40p. Harpercollins/Harper, $17.99 (9780062978707). Pre-S-Gr 3.

What is a mosque? What does it looks like inside and what do people do there? This beautiful book transports readers on a magical journey inside famous mosques around the world, various Islamic practices, diverse communities, and cultural elements they encompass. Evoking feelings of immense joy and peace, this book is an open and warm invitation to readers and the world to come in and explore this important space and the religion that is practiced by 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.

Gorgeous endpapers feature birds, patterned in colorful geometric-shapes set against a black background. Each spread pairs elements of Islamic practice and worship in famous mosques. Colors are vibrant and celebratory of everyday scenes captured from the joyful perspective of Muslim children. Paired with simple lyrical text that describes the people, practices, activities, and surro

undings the way a child would notice them. For instance, before entering the mosque worshippers first remove their shoes, which are described is being lined up “like colorful beads” while the opposite page describes the sensation of wiggling and sinking his toes into “the silky-soft carpet.”, Children share other observations and sensations, and readers are immersed into their feelings of gentle comfort in listening to the recitations and the clicking sound of tasbih (prayer beads), the cooing of pigeons outside the mosque, the warm hugs of loving family members, and the smells of delicious food.

Children are depicted in poses of relaxation, glancing out the window, distracted in prayers, shushing each other when they are not supposed to be talking, and running and playing in the spaces. Adults are shown as gentle and patient, and the mosque is presented as a place where children learn religious culture and heritage and grow up feeling safe and loved by their community.

Children are also active participants in their community, showing small acts of kindness, such as helping elderly or disabled worshippers, or passing out prayer beads, mats, and collecting and distributing food. One child is also seen in active prayer, finishing salat by saying “peace and blessings be upon you/As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh” (in Arabic). The text in this particular spread reads, “In my mosque we end our prayers by greeting the angels on our shoulders who watch over us day and night. My angels cheer me on as I whisper heartfelt wishes and hope they all come true.” Though the wording of duas solely as wishes does not quite encompass the entirety of the meaning, framed in the context of a child’s understanding, it is sufficient.

 

Readers see that the mosque is not only a place of worship, but a place of community and one where the community also builds itself and contributes to larger community needs. Commonality with other faiths is also emphasized. It is a gathering place for people to find each other, refresh their faith and listen to uplifting sermons, “in my mosque, we pray for peace, love, and joy…just like my friends who worship in churches, temples, and synagogues.”

The illustrations are diverse with worshippers reflecting different countries and set against the backdrop of architecture and geometric mosaic patterns specific to each region. Arabic style calligraphy is incorporated throughout the book. The book mentioned that Aly’s breathtaking  illustrations were created by using digital rendering and scans of ink washes, textures, and patterns

While the book’s backmatter includes a note about mosques, a glossary, and author’s note, and a selection of mosques around the world, it does not specify which mosque is which in the book itself, though readers with background knowledge will be able to identify many of them. However, this information is available on the author’s website and includes an annotation with other information about each specific mosque (including the Diyanet Center in Lanham, Maryland), and also includes discussion questions and activitie
s for families and educators.

An awe-inspiring book that shows parallels between different religious places of worship, and highlights both universality of faiths and uniqueness of Islam and its places of worship.