Children's Books Books

Mosque

David Macaulay

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Very interesting and well done 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The first book by David Macaulay that I ever read was Cathedral, so that's the benchmark by which I measure his other books. Mosque is based on the same premise as that book (i.e. the construction of a great structure for religious worship), but adds the new element of color for the first time and is obviously not set in Medieval Europe. And while I did enjoy the color prints, and the book is well done, overall I felt like it fell a bit short of Cathedral because the drawings lacked the detail found in that book. Mosque seems to present a bigger picture rather than focusing on the intricate details that made Cathedral so interesting to me. You'll notice that I still gave Mosque four stars, so I'm not unhappy with it at all. But I didn't think it quite lived up to the high standards set by Cathedral, which is the only reason I shorted it one star. I would add that my four-and-a-half-year-old son, who absolutely loves all things related to construction, really enjoyed this book becuase of its illustrations and the interesting subject matter, but also becuase I summarized the narrative rather than reading it word for word. I did that because it is written at a higher reading level than Cathedral. That may or may not suit your needs depending on your situation, but for younger kids this would be a long slog if you read every word to them.

Editorial Review:

Following in the tradition he established with Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction and in the many books he has published in the thirty years since, David Macaulay provides explanations of the how and the why in a way that is both accessible and entertaining. His work has earned numerous accolades, including a Caldecott Medal, two Caldecott Honors, and a MacArthur Grant, and many fans around the globe. With Mosque, he turns his talents toward the magnificent structures of the Ottoman Empire.

The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook

Dilara Hafiz, Imran Hafiz, Yasmine Hafiz

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Mixed Bag 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This book takes a lively look at some of the questions that Muslim teens in America need answers to. The style of writing and the layout is engaging and accommodates readers afflicted or blessed with short attention span.

While the book is sprinkled with frequent quotations from the Quran, clearly it is not meant to be an in-depth treatise on Islam, either in the personal sphere or as an adequate source of history and facts with which the reader can maintain serious discussion with non-Muslims, or even with other Muslims. To its credit, the book encourages its young readers to learn more about their religion, but it doesn't guide them or warn them of things that they will discover.

Considering the large number of subjects covered, it is inevitable that this slender book leaves the reader short here and there. On the question for example of whether Muslim girls should wear hijab, one who does, says, "My religion tells me to - I have to wear one if I'm a Muslim.", and one who doesn't, says, "I don't feel that my religion requires it." While earlier in the book it is stated that most of the Quran is clear in meaning, and at the beginning of this section appears a quote (33:59) that suggests that women should "draw their wraps a little over them", the question is by no means cleared up. The naive Muslim girl is not prepared to defend herself in conversation with other Muslims, such as her parents, who may claim to know the correct answer, and can force the issue.

On larger issues - political aspects of Islam - page 90 shows a street rally poster reading "ISLAM MEANS PEACE". If a Muslim teen reader goes no further, he will not be prepared to hold his own in a discussion where someone informs him that "Islam" means "submission". And that someone could be a Muslim - say, a Jihadic recruiter - as well as non-Muslim. When confronted by the kinds of posters that sometimes appear in pro-Muslim rallies, such as "BEHEAD THOSE WHO MOCK ISLAM" or "ISLAM WILL DOMINATE", the teen will be helpless - not only uninformed, but misinformed, and he may realize that this book has let him down.

In summary, this book is about preparing Muslim teens to be able to make their way in America, to assimilate, and yet to retain their Islamic identity. It accomplishes parts of the task nicely, but sometimes it falls short of protecting its young readers and warning them of the dangers and complexities that they will face, from other Muslims in America as well as non-Muslims. Put aside all of the personal questions about dating - hamburgers (hold the bacon!), clothing, making friends, etc.; the essence of being an American involves the freedom to educate oneself, to question everything - including and especially authority - to speak, write, criticize freely and in safety, to pursue happiness and to choose representatives to express ones' political inclinations.

I rate this book 3 stars to balance its high intentions and accomplishments with its limitations and consequent dangers.

Editorial Review:

Winner of the 2008 Arizona Book Award
What does it mean to be a Muslim? Ask ten people, and you'll probably receive ten different answers. The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook is a positive, informative guide to Islam in America. Timely and engaging, it conveys the basics of the fastest-growing, most stereotyped and misunderstood religion in America from a progressive, teen perspective. Whether struggling to define themselves as Muslims in American society or simply curious about Islam, teens will find much to love about this entertaining book. Recently featured in the New York Times' "On Religion" section by Samuel G. Freedman (07/26/2008).

Muhammad

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( D ) -> Demi

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Wonderful introduction to the life of Muhammad 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

This is a beautiful, brief biography of the life of Muhammad. Demi's illustrations are lovely and are a perfect complement to his life. Of course it does not cover every aspect of Muhammad's life, but it is respectful and Demi's selection of episodes in his life are accurate and not misleading at all. I highly recommend this book as an introduction to Muhammad and Islam.

Editorial Review:

Muhammad

is

the messenger of Islam.

Born in Mecca in the year 570, Muhammad grew into a sensitive and thoughtful man who believed deeply in the worship of one true god.

In his fortieth year, Muhammad experienced a revelation from the angel Gabriel that he, Muhammad, was the messenger of God. Over the next twenty-three years, he received many such revelations, all of which were written down by scribes at the time of revelation to become the Koran, the sacred scripture of Islam, a religion that is practiced by nearly one-quarter of the world's population and holds as its most sacred tenet that there is no god but God.

Through a clear text and stunning illustrations based upon those of traditional Islamic expression, the award-winning artist Demi here introduces the remarkable life of the Prophet Muhammad for young readers.

Muslim Child: Understanding Islam Through Stories and Poems

Rukhsana Khan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Should be read by all educators and anyone who works with diverse populations. 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful book. It's informative, non-judgemental, and non-proselytizing. I was especially impressed that the authors managed to tell a series of situational stories from a child's point of view. My favorite was the one about the little boy who becomes separated from his parents at Mecca and finds shelter with a kindly old man. This book covers such topics as Muslim minority children having to choose between adherences to their religion, e.g. forgoing observance of prayer times and dietary restrictions for the sake of convenience and fitting in with the crowd. I could feel the self-consciousness myself when a little boy overhears his friends mistaken his mother for a ghost after being frightened by her veil, and the guilt when a young girl succumbs to temptation and devours the delicious candies that contain pork byproducts.

Editorial Review:

A collection of stories and poems about Muslim children from a variety of backgrounds, focusing on the celebration of holidays and practices of Islam.

Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs: A Treasury of Islamic Wisdom for Children and Parents (Aesop Prize (Awards))

Sarah Conover, Freda Crane

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Religions -> Islam

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Long Overdue! 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

All I can say is that "It's about time!" We have been taking a nice, slow pace with this book (my husband, me, and our 3 young sons) and I have come to look forward to bedtime in a way that I never have before. It's wonderful to finally come across a book about Islam that isn't political, isn't out to preach and convert, isn't about gender issues. All faiths have wisdom and gentleness within its teachings and it's a relief to be exposed to lessons we can all identify with in a book about Islam. A must for all children in this age of misinformation! (Side note: I've given this book as a gift to many kids and they --- and their parents --- all thank me for it...)

Editorial Review:

Beautiful Signs / Ayat Jamilah draws from not only the core of Islamic spirituality and ethics--the Qur'an and the traditions (hadiths)--but also from the mystical verse, folk tales, and exemplary figures of the Islamic narrative. Unlike any other collection of Islamic stories, Beautiful Signs gathers traditional stories from the farthest reaches of the Muslim world, stretching from Morocco in the west to Indonesia in the east, and from China in the north to Tanzania in the south.

This unique anthology, with its rich and thorough explanatory notes, will be invaluable to anyone wishing to understand or teach geography, world history, or world religions. It will also be treasured by Muslim families and by all parents committed to broadening the lives and values of their children and themselves.

Fasting and Dates: A Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr Story (Festival Time)

Jonny Zucker

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Books in the Festival Time series describe the activities of typical families as parents and children celebrate some of their culture’s major holidays. Attractive color illustrations on every page will appeal to younger children. The simply yet delightfully told stories describe the festivities while giving children background information about holidays in many different cultures. A two-page spread at the back of each book contains information for parents, and includes suggestions on ways to communicate the holiday’s meaning to kids. A typical Muslim family celebrates the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. In 2004, Ramadan lasts for the entire 30-day lunar month from October 16 through November 13. In 2005, it occurs from October 5 through November 3. It is the time of year for parents and older children to fast, give special praise to God, and be charitable to the poor and needy. The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr occurs on the day following the last day of Ramadan. Families welcome this festival with an elaborate meal attended by extended family and friends. Traditional foods are eaten, including dates and pomegranates.

Islam (DK Eyewitness Books)

Caroline Stone

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

OK for a general overview of Islam 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I was searching for an unbiased book on Islam and DK is usually pretty good. This book is OK for a very general look at what Islam is about. It still lumps all the Islamic countries into very broad categories. Its OK but if you really want something without the Western bias, go to an Arabic book store. There are quite a few online.

Great resource 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of my Core Knowledge units that I use with my fourth graders is a unit on Islam. This book is very comprehensive and has great images. The kids like reading this book and it teaches them more than the boring textbook. Definitely worth every penny!

Ramadan (On My Own Holidays)

Susan L. Douglass

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Really good book about Ramamdan! 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This book contains a lot of good information on Ramamdan for teachers and students. I could read this aloud to older students in elementary school too.

a teacher 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

It's a very nice basic book about a religious holiday celebrated by 1.2 billlion people.

Just what the student needs 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is an excellent source of information about Ramadan and Muslims fasting. The writing is appropriate for elementary school students, and at the same time has more information that other books on the same subject. It is also important to note that the information is accurate.

Editorial Review:

An introduction to Islamic observances during the month of Ramadan and the subsequent festival of Eid-al-Fitr.

Ramadan (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

David F. Marx

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

A basic introduction 3 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

The basic ideas, customs, and attitudes of this holiday are introduced to young children with most of the appropriate vocabulary and pronunciation guides. Photographs show a nice cultural variety of Muslims, from Arabic to Indian and Indonesian. The book says that at the end of Ramadan, "Muslims have a three-day celebration." Since that celebration is a major part of the holiday and easy to pronounce (EED), its omission is a significant flaw. Another cause for concern is the photograph accompanying the suggestion that all-day fasting is to difficult for some people. Among all the beautiful variety of Muslims world-wide, the picture of apparently African-American children eating cotton candy implies that they are the ones who cannot "keep a promise" to fast. But even with these flaws, this may be the best introduction currently available.

Editorial Review:

The popular Rookie Books expand their horizons - to all corners of the globe! With this series all about geography, emergent readers will take off on adventures to cities, nations, waterways, and habitats around the world…and right in their own backyards.

A Young Muslim's Guide to the Modern World

Seyyed Hossein Nasr

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Islam 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

As a teenage Muslim I find this book great Spruatily and Mentally. I recomend this book for Muslims and Non-Muslim Teens.

Essential reading, especially for Muslims in the West. 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr "A Young Muslim's Guide to the Modern World" (Kazi, 1994)

Picking up a new book (in the sense of not having read before) by Professor Nasr is an experience to be relished, but at the same time one for which you need to brace yourself. Nasr tackles God, Philosophy, Civilization and the crisis of modern man... not exactly holiday reading. His books invariably present the reader with a 'tour de force' of traditional Islamic knowledge as well as an almost frightening breadth of learning spanning the fields of Philosophy, Science, History, the Arts, Education, Politics, Economics and of course Religion.

Above all else, perhaps, Professor Nasr's genius lies in his ability to weave together relevant information from seemingly disparate fields to create an organic synthesis simultaneously in accordance with the teachings of Islam and scholastically rigorous enough to present a formidable challenge to the most critical mind. One must also take into consideration his intellectual pedigree, second to none in both the traditional world of Islam, and modern Western learning, presented through his eloquent command of the English language which renders his writing such a joy to read.

The book in question is perhaps the ideal entrance for a Muslim reader into the thought of Nasr. Its aim is to at once reaffirm the many aspects of the Islamic 'message' (the first seven chapters) before venturing into a fairly deep, although understandably brief considering the amount of ground covered, analysis of the modern Western world (the next seven chapters) in chapters dealing with Modern Philosophy, Science and Technology and so forth. The fifteenth and final chapter takes the form of an epilogue restating the need for young Muslims to both learn their own tradition deeply and also to learn about the Modern World seriously in order to be able to respond Islamically to the multitude of challenges it poses a follower of tradition. Indeed, Nasr asserts that while the West has produced numerous scholars who study Islam and the Islamic World from their point of view, the Islamic world has produced very few scholars able to study the various aspects of the West (in any depth at least) from the Islamic perspective.

So there we have the basic outline of the work, one which is both ambitious and greatly needed at this critical juncture in history. Professor Nasr is by no means the first Islamic scholar to address the topic of the spiritual welfare of the youth as it is confronted with modernity, however he is certainly the one author whose masterful treatment this issue has needed the most. As he notes, most Islamic critiques of the Modern West are shallow, ill-informed and reactionary, unable to stand up to much serious examination. Nasr characteristically avoids such emotional, simplistic generalisations and presents the reader with the learned, scholarly treatment we have come to expect.

The volume touches on so many themes that it is difficult to summarise, leaving one to conclude with a strong recommendation in favour of tracking it down and partaking in its blessings (barakah) for yourself. You may also find yourself turning the final page with a sense of faith and belonging, having rediscovered your prestigious tradition, a sense of sobriety having learnt something of the nature of the problems of modernity but above all a sense of illumination and purpose based upon the Eternal Reality of Divinity. Nasr concludes aptly with a well-known quote from the Noble Quran: "When the Truth comes, falsehood shall fade away."

Note: The copy in question is published by Kazi (1994) and while it is adequate, the reader is advised to seek out the edition published by the ITS - The Islamic Texts Society, whose books are always of the highest quality, the Kazi edition lacking especially with regard to the typeface used for the chapter headings.

Editorial Review:

A Young Muslim's Guide to the Modern World, by one of Islam's greatest contemporary scholars, was written specifically for Muslims, and in particular young Muslims, urging them to become familiar with their religion and to gain an understanding of the modern world from the Islamic point of view in order to respond positively to its challenges. This guide, the first of its kind in any language, presents an exposition of the teachings of Islam as revealed in the Qur'an, explained in the hadith and Sunna of the Prophet and commented upon by Muslim scholars and thinkers, as well as outlining the Western religious and intellectual tradition. --This text refers to the mass market paperback edition of this title