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CAN HENS GIVE MILK?

Name: CAN HENS GIVE MILK?
Author: Joan Betty Stuchner
ISBN: 978-1-55469-319-1

by Joan Betty Stuchner & illustrated by Joe Weissmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2011

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An original tale takes readers to that nexus of foolishness, the village of Chelm. Shlomo and Rivka have “five children, twelve scrawny hens, one rooster and not much money.” So they use simple logic: A cow gives milk because she eats grass, so if they feed grass to their hens, the hens will give milk. This is, of course, a Chelm story. Chelm, for those who don’t know, is a village from Jewish folktales, populated by the most foolish people in the world. Stuchner is completely at home with the almost-logic of Chelm. (It may seem paradoxical to write a new traditional folktale, but it's very much in the spirit of Chelm.) As in the best of the traditional stories, every step of the villagers’ thought process makes perfect sense. Readers might even find themselves thinking, “Why shouldn’t hens give milk? It’s only fair.” Children will have a great time looking for the flaw in the argument. There are a few lulls, but Stuchner carries the gag through to a very amusing last page, in which Shlomo imagines a goat trying to hatch an enormous egg. Weissman’s illustrations help to sell the joke: The goat just looks so content up there on top of her egg. The story is so successful in making the absurd seem obvious that readers may wonder why they didn’t think of it themselves. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-1-55469-319-1

Page Count: 36

Publisher: Orca

Review Posted Online: March 31, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
HONEY CAKE
by Joan Betty Stuchner & illustrated by Cynthia Nugent

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MOMMY'S KHIMAR

by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow ; illustrated by Ebony Glenn ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 3, 2018

With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked...

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From a debut author-and-illustrator team comes a glimpse into a young American Muslim girl’s family and community as she walks around in “Mommy’s khimar,” or headscarf.

The star of this sunny picture book is a young girl who finds joy in wearing her mother’s khimar, imagining it transforms her into a queen, a star, a mama bird, a superhero. At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother. The family appears to be African-American, with brown skin and textured hair. The girl’s braids and twists “form a bumpy crown” under the khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. Adults in her life delight in her appearance in the bright yellow khimar, including her Arabic teacher at the mosque, who calls it a “hijab,” and her grandmother, who visits after Sunday service and calls out “Sweet Jesus!” as she scoops her granddaughter into her arms. Her grandmother is, apparently, a Christian, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.” The illustrations feature soft pastel colors with dynamic lines and gently patterned backgrounds that complement the story’s joyful tone. The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t.

With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group . (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 3, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5344-0059-7

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGIOUS FICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
SISTER FRIEND
by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow ; illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani

- BOOK REVIEW
SALAT IN SECRET
by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow ; illustrated by Hatem Aly

- BOOK REVIEW
GROUNDED
by Aisha Saeed , Huda Al-Marashi , Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & S.K. Ali

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INSHA'ALLAH, NO, MAYBE SO

by Rhonda Roumani & Nadia Roumani ; illustrated by Olivia Aserr ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2024

Lively, funny, and child-friendly.

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A young girl is upset when her mother defers her promises.

When Ranya asks her mother if they can go to the park, Mama replies, “Insha’Allah.” Ranya fumes—that’s what her parents always say when they mean no! Mama explains that the sky’s looking overcast and adds that “insha’Allah“ means “God willing.” People say it when they hope for something that they aren’t sure will happen: “Sometimes Allah has other plans.” Ranya pries a little more: Is that why they didn’t bake cookies last night? And why her sleepover with her friend Jayda fell through? And why her parents have never taken her to Disneyland? Mama replies that it was getting too late to bake and that Jayda’s grandmother became sick, but she promises to take Ranya to Disneyland before she turns 18…insha’Allah. Ranya negotiates with her mother, who agrees that they can bake cookies later and Ranya can plan another sleepover. Mama notices the weather has improved and says they can go to the park. But first, she asks Ranya to clean up her toys. Ranya impishly replies, “Insha’Allah!” This is a sweet introduction to an expression often used in Muslim and Arabic-speaking communities. The playful banter between mother and daughter forms the heart of the story. Ranya and Mama are illustrated with warm brown skin tones; theirs is a diverse neighborhood. Homey illustrations in bold primary colors create a sense of coziness.

Lively, funny, and child-friendly. (authors’ note) (Picture book. 4-8)