An engaging, much-needed tale to aid Muslim parents in sharing their faith with their kids.
This latest installment of an Islamic picture-book series examines the marvelous creations of Allah in the globe’s many wonders.
Every night, Hakima and Hadi look forward to hearing stories from Mama and Baba. Baba teaches them the Arabic phrase “Laa Ilaaha Illallaah,” which “means there is no god except Allah.” Hakima and Hadi are invited to study this religious tenet by exploring, through their parents’ tales, the lush rainforest, the vast ocean, the deep reaches of outer space, and the expansive desert. Mama and Baba point out all the things that make each setting unique: the trees, the stars and planets, the cacti and camels, and so forth. They are reminded that all of the beauty around them is a gift from Allah, the one and only creator of the universe, through repeated use of the phrase “Laa Ilaaha Illallaah.” These imaginative adventures are skillfully described by Abidi (Tales of the Last Messenger, 2019, etc.) in rhyming verse and coupled with bright, cheerful, uncredited digital illustrations depicting a loving, involved nuclear family of color in setting-appropriate costumes (such as safari hats or space suits). This is an excellent primer for children in English-speaking homes whose parents are hoping to familiarize them with the teachings of Islam in a way that is simple, joyful, and fun. The repetition of the key Arabic phrase helps to instill the story’s central concept in the minds of young readers.
An engaging, much-needed tale to aid Muslim parents in sharing their faith with their kids.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-68312-126-8
Page Count: -
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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