I’m thrilled to review Ramadan The Holy Month of Fasting by Ausma Zehanat Khan. I’m so pleased to see such a highly-accessible book about Ramadan for older readers (9–12 years). The book is printed in full color with lots of pictures. After the typical sections on what Ramadan is about, Khan has included sections on community engagement and the culture of Ramadan around the world. View Post
Jamal’s Bad-Time Tale, written and illustrated by Absar Kazmi, is a cute early chapter book in the vein of Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day.
Jamal’s day gets off to a bad start, and it just keeps getting worse. He wakes up in a fright when the cat jumps on him and spills cereal on himself at breakfast—and that’s only the beginning. How much worse can Jamal’s day get before it gets better? View Post
Theresa Corbin and Kaighla Um Dayo have written the book they wish they had when they converted to Islam. Drawing on decades of experience and focusing on practical advice rather than information-dumping, The New Muslim’s Field Guide discusses the major issues a new convert to Islam will have to contend with in a fun and friendly way. View Post
Zak is having a great day and can’t wait to go to the skate park with his dad and sister. He just has to do more chore and not tell any lies. Easy, right?
Zak and His Little Lies, written by J. Samia Mair and illustrated by Omar Burgess, is a fun and engaging picture book and the second in a series about Zak. View Post
A Girl Like That, by Tanaz Bhathena, is not an easy story to read. The main character, Zarin Wadia, is a “girl like that,” an outcast with a reputation, to nearly everyone in the story except for her friend Porus. And Zarin and Porus are dead on the first page.
Yep, it’s that kind of book.
Zarin lives with her aunt and uncle because her mother and father (former dancer and gangster) are dead. Her home life is extremely difficult thanks to her aunt and in spite of her uncle. At school, she is ostracized by the girls and objectified by the boys, who are a disturbing example of the meaning of rape culture. Her friend Porus is everyone’s favorite character—kind, understanding, and fiercely loyal. The book opens at the end—she and Porus are dead, victims of a car crash and floating above their bodies. View Post
