An appealing and informative Muslim tale.
This third installment of a picture-book series seeks to educate Muslim children about the importance of major figures in their religion—especially the meanings and importance of their names.
This story opens with the birth of Fatimah to Hadhrat Khadija, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Hadhrat Khadija had been ostracized by society for embracing the Muslim faith and marrying a poor man. Instead of the women in the village, Fatimah’s birth was attended by four heavenly women sent to her by Allah. Thus, the blessed Fatimah was born, and she was favored by her parents. After Hadhrat Khadija’s death, Fatimah cared for her father and was a good and obedient daughter. She grew up and married Imam Ali, known as the first imam from whom all subsequent ones descend. The couple were very holy, and they had four children who went on to become important religious figures as well. At the close of the tale, the Prophet Muhammad tells Imam Ali that his daughter’s name means “the one who separates,” as in the one who will separate the followers of Allah from those facing punishment on the Day of Judgment. Abidi’s (Tales of the Last Messenger, 2019, etc.) engaging and deeply religious tale is accompanied by bright, uncredited digital illustrations. All individuals who are considered holy are depicted with shining lights in front of their faces as indicators of their blessed nature. Unfortunately, many religious terms are not defined in the text. Still, this instructive book is a superb accompaniment to other teachings about Islam provided by parents or religious leaders.
An appealing and informative Muslim tale.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-68312-095-7
Page Count: 21
Publisher: Kisa Kids Publications
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
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