by Saadia Faruqi and Aneesa Mumtaz ; illustrated by Saffa Khan ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 3, 2022
A much-needed reminder of the important contributions of Muslim thinkers, scientists, and athletes.
A look at 30 influential Muslim figures.
Short profiles and lively, colorful illustrations cover subjects from around the world and over the span of millennia, many who, despite their great significance, aren’t commonly spotlighted in texts for children. Among them are scientists and theorists who developed the foundations of much of modern medicine and philosophy: Ibn al-Haytham, an 11th-century Egyptian scientist who came up with the camera obscura, the basis for modern-day photography, while imprisoned, and al-Zahrawi, an 11th-century Arab Andalusian surgeon whose encyclopedia Kitab al Tasrif led directly and indirectly to much of how medicine is still practiced today. Other figures include feminist thinker Fatima Mernissi (1940-2015), who “explained that the oppression of Muslim women did not come from the religion of Islam, but rather from the attitudes of power-hungry men”; Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad; NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabar; Razia Sultan, the sole woman ruler in the Mamluk dynasty; and 14th-century explorer Ibn Battuta.
A much-needed reminder of the important contributions of Muslim thinkers, scientists, and athletes. (glossary) (Collective biography. 8-12)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-297344-3
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
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by Saadia Faruqi ; illustrated by Ani Bushry
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by Saadia Faruqi ; illustrated by Shazleen Khan
by Jordan Sonnenblick ; illustrated by Jordan Sonnenblick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021
Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless.
Tales of a fourth grade ne’er-do-well.
It seems that young Jordan is stuck in a never-ending string of bad luck. Sure, no one’s perfect (except maybe goody-two-shoes William Feranek), but Jordan can’t seem to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. Try as he may, things always go a bit sideways, much to his educators’ chagrin. But Jordan promises himself that fourth grade will be different. As the year unfolds, it does prove to be different, but in a way Jordan couldn’t possibly have predicted. This humorous memoir perfectly captures the square-peg-in-a-round-hole feeling many kids feel and effectively heightens that feeling with comic situations and a splendid villain. Jordan’s teacher, Mrs. Fisher, makes an excellent foil, and the book’s 1970s setting allows for her cruelty to go beyond anything most contemporary readers could expect. Unfortunately, the story begins to run out of steam once Mrs. Fisher exits. Recollections spiral, losing their focus and leading to a more “then this happened” and less cause-and-effect structure. The anecdotes are all amusing and Jordan is an endearing protagonist, but the book comes dangerously close to wearing out its welcome with sheer repetitiveness. Thankfully, it ends on a high note, one pleasant and hopeful enough that readers will overlook some of the shabbier qualities. Jordan is White and Jewish while there is some diversity among his classmates; Mrs. Fisher is White.
Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless. (Memoir. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-64723-5
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
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by Terry Virts ; illustrated by Andrés Lozano ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 11, 2023
Finally, an astro-memoir for kids that really gets down to the nitty-gritty.
A former space shuttle pilot and International Space Station commander recalls in unusually exacting detail what it’s like to be an astronaut.
In the same vein as his more expansive adult title How To Astronaut (2020), Virts describes and reflects on his experiences with frank and photographic precision—from riding the infamous “Vomit Comet” to what astronauts wear, eat, and get paid. He also writes vividly about what Earth looks like from near orbit: the different colors of deserts, for instance, and storms that “are so powerful that the flashes from the lightning illuminate the inside of the space station.” With an eye to younger audiences with stars in their eyes, he describes space programs of the past and near future in clear, simple language and embeds pep talks about the importance of getting a good education and ignoring nay-sayers. For readers eager to start their training early, he also tucks in the occasional preparatory “Astronaut Activity,” such as taking some (unused) household item apart…and then putting it back together. Lozano supplements the small color photos of our planet from space and astronauts at work with helpful labeled images, including two types of spacesuits and a space shuttle, as well as cartoon spot art depicting diverse figures.
Finally, an astro-memoir for kids that really gets down to the nitty-gritty. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-11)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781523514564
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
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