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

 

Zahra’s Blessing : A Ramadan Story by Shirin Shamsi, illustrated by Manal Mirza

Zahra’s Blessing : A Ramadan Story by Shirin Shamsi
Illustrated by Manal Mirza
Barefoot Books

Zahra hugs her cherished teddy bear and prays that Ramadan will bring her a longed-for sister. When her bear subsequently goes missing, Zahra finds herself grappling with intense feelings of loss. Over the next few weeks, as she volunteers with her mother at a local shelter for asylum seekers, Zahra befriends a displaced child, resulting in a newfound sense of gratitude and an unexpected Ramadan blessing.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

 

Posted in Reviews

Review: Malala Yousafzai (Little People, Big Dreams)

Review: Malala Yousafzai (Little People, Big Dreams)

Vegara, Maria Isabel Sanchez. Malala Yousafzai. Illus by Manal Mirza, 2021. 32p. Quarto /Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, $15.99  (9780711259041). Gr K-3.

This addition to the Little People, Big Dreams biography series, explores the life of Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel laureate and activist for female education. The narrative describes Malala’s childhood growing up in the Swat valley area of Pakistan and her eagerness for education. But when the Taliban regime takes control of the region, girls are suddenly banned from going to school. Malala and her friends take a stand for their right to education. She appeals to BBC to raise awareness and is subsequently targeted and shot by the Taliban in retaliation. After her recovery,

Malala grows louder, stronger, and more determined to advocate for girls’ and children’s rights to education through her foundation. She works with other activists from Pakistan, Syria, and Nigeria. Readers will take away a sense of Malala’s resilience, pathway to activism, bravery, and hope for change.  

Mirza’s illustrations are vibrant with bold tones, regional patterns, and colorful fabrics. Apart from wardrobe differences and skin tones, characters have similar-looking features.

Malala’s shooting is worded simply, honestly, and not glossed over for young readers. Adults may choose to guide discussions on gun violence and the suppression of women, civil rights, and certain activities banned by the Taliban. As Malala meets people from across the globe, these characters are represented in one spread by differences in skin tone and clothing to show a diversity in race and culture. One character has a bindi, one is wearing a kente-like print shirt and kufi, one is wearing athawb/kandura/dishdasha, and a ghutra head covering.

Illustrations seem to be taken from actual media photographs of Malala and her family, but do not always match the text. In one spread text reads that  Malala is shot and badly injured and wakes up in the hospital, but the illustrations choose to show a later time without  any signs of injury. 

One inaccuracy occurs in the spread showing a classroom, where the blackboard has a sentence written in Urdu (one of the languages spoken in Pakistan). The English translation reads “stop [being] scared of the people” but the Urdu word for “scared” is spelled incorrectly. Still, this inclusion, albeit with spelling errors, is an opportunity to teach that language script is multidirectional, with Urdu and other languages written from right to left.

Illustrated snapshots of Malala’s rise to fame, awards, other accolades, and work with other activists across the globe could have been improved with more explanation of real-life photographs. One illustration appears to be based on a photograph of Malala with indigenous Brazilian girls in traditional clothing, celebrating Malala’s 21st birthday, but is embellished, adding more people in the illustration.

Backmatter includes a timeline, photographs, and additional resources for the reader.  

This biography is a solid introductory primer on Malala with the possibility to open further conversations with young readers and expand their world view. At the same time, it is important that if an adult is facilitating discussions with a young reader, they are aware of the dynamics and history of regional conflicts when answering questions. While I have appreciation for the text and illustrations, as a Pakistani, I am concerned about the simplification of culture and traditions of one of the most beautiful regions of the world. Swat has a rich cultural heritage which was marred in 2007 by the rise of the Taliban and their ouster by the Pakistani military. I hope that this book, and others on Malala, spark an interest in not just Malala’s life and activism, but in the rich culture and history of the region as well.

Thank you to Quarto/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and Netgalley for providing digital access to this book. Publication date for this title was March 16, 2021.

 

 

Malala Yousafzai by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara (Little People, Big Dreams)

Malala Yousafzai by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Illustrated by: Manal Mirza
Little People, Big Dreams

Meet Malala Yousafzai, the incredible activist for girls’ education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate​.

When Malala was born in Mingora, Pakistan, her father was determined she would have every opportunity that a boy would have. She loved getting an education, but when a hateful regime came to power, girls were no longer allowed to go to school. Malala spoke out in public about this, which made her a target for violence. She was shot in the left side of her head and woke up in a hospital in England. Finally, after long months and many surgeries, Malala recovered, and resolved to become an activist for girls’ education. Now a recent Oxford graduate, Malala continues to fight for a world where all girls can learn and lead. This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the activist’s life.

Cover image and summary via Little People, Big Dreams