A meaningful and heartwarming tale that shares lessons of goodwill, generosity, and gratitude.
Wanting to find a way to do good during Hajj, a young Muslim child shares water with fellow pilgrims from all over the world.
Mariam, Mama, and Dad are among the millions embarking on Hajj, the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). Mama says, “Hajj is a time to do good, share, and be thankful.” Brainstorming ways to do good, Mariam thinks of the perfect idea: sharing Zamzam—water from an ancient, blessed well of the same name—with others. With each cup of water Mariam distributes, the young protagonist learns ways to express thanks in different languages and samples delicious foods like syrupy koeksisters from South Africa and Indonesian pandan cookies shared in return, each as unique as the pilgrims Mariam meets. But will Mariam have enough Zamzam for everyone? Gutta explores a potentially lesser-known pillar of Islam with text that both educates and entertains. Dawoud’s digital collage illustrations perfectly capture the essence of Hajj—the crowds, the awe-inspiring rituals, and the camaraderie that comes from sharing such an important spiritual event—all while portraying the cultural diversity of its attendees in a broad range of skin tones and physical abilities. Mariam is brown-skinned, though the child’s ethnic identity isn’t mentioned. The backmatter reinforces learning with the story of the Zamzam Well, information on Hajj, and more.
A meaningful and heartwarming tale that shares lessons of goodwill, generosity, and gratitude. (photos, treats and thanks from around the word, five pillars of Islam, dressing for Hajj, glossary, steps of Umrah and Hajj, author’s and illustrator’s notes) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798888592366
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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