Muslim Child
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By Rukhsana Khan
Illustrated by Patty Gallinger
Sidebars by Irfan Alli
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Muslim Child: A Collection of Short Stories and Poems
Published in Canada by Napoleon Publishing
72 pg, Softcover
$10.95 CDN
ISBN 0-929141-96-2
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Muslim Child: Understanding Islam through Stories and Poems
Published in U.S. by Albert Whitman & Co.
104 pg, Hardcover
$14.95 US
ISBN 0-8075-5307-7
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AR Quiz No. 56697 EN Fiction
IL: LG - BL: 4.4 - AR Pts:
2.0
AR Quiz Types: RP
Rating:
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Muslim Child is a collection of eight short
stories along with several poems that offer a glimpse into the daily
lives of Muslim children around the world.
- Shortlisted for the 2001 Hackmatack Award (N.S.L.A)
- A Canadian Children's Book Centre 'Our Choice' Book
"Muslim Child is a collection of short stories
and information designed to introduce children to Islam. Every story
begins with brief writings from the Quran, or sayings of the prophet
Muhammad, and is designed to teach the basic tenets of the faith. In
each tale, a child copes with a conflict or problem related to the faith
. . . The book provides a useful and interesting introduction to Islam
for non-Muslim children and may also prove to be helpful for Muslim
children who are dealing with some of the same issues as the children in
the stories. In addition to learning about the religion, the reader also
comes face to face with the personal side of Islam in stories which are
sometimes quite moving and provide a deeper insight into both culture
and its spiritual base. While each tale stands on its own, together they
illustrate a faith with a rich and beautiful belief system. The
combination of story and information makes this a useful book for
multicultural communities or for children wishing to learn more about
Islam."
-Children's Book News-
"Khan, a Canadian Muslim who has written about
Afghanistan in The Roses in My Carpets (1998), now seeks to engage
youngsters in learning about Islam and the everyday lives of Muslim
children around the world for the purpose of teaching greater tolerance
and understanding. In combining stories, poems, and activities with
informational sidebars about religious practice and quotations from the
sayings of Muhammad and the Quran, she has created a primer, a
children's guide to Islam and its five pillars of faith. The eight short
stories portray Muslim children in different countries, including the
US, Canada, England, Pakistan, and Nigeria. 'Lost at Hajj' features a
Black child from New York City who is making the pilgrimage to Mecca
with his parents. 'Azeeza's First Fast' and 'Jumbo Jelly Shoes' are
about children's difficulties in meeting their religious obligations,
such as observing the fast during the month of Ramadan or eating the
proper foods. Other stories are about holiday celebrations or the
history of Islam. . .There is a chronology of Muhammad's life, a listing
of the prophets, many who are also honoured in Judaism and Christianity,
and a pronunciation guide with transliterations and Arabic calligraphy.
. . teachers, librarians, group leaders, and parents will find this a
very useful resource."
-Kirkus Reviews-
". . .as its subtitle indicates, Muslim Child
presents aspects of the daily lives of Muslim youngsters in various
locales, including Canada, the U.S., Nigeria, and Pakistan. The
child's-eye view substantially increases the likelihood that non-Muslim
readers will be able to internalize and understand what the protagonists
and feeling and thinking, even if the religious basis of those thoughts
and emotions are unfamiliar. In one story, a young American Muslim
grumbles about having to wake before dawn for the morning prayer and
then spends a good deal of his energy during the prayer trying to
suppress a fart, which will render the prayer ritually unclean. In
another tale, a Canadian boy is embarrassed to have his school friends
see his mother in her full-body dress, with head and face coverings. The
resolutions of these and the other stories are always positive and
reinforce the beliefs that the children may have earlier questioned. For
this reason, the text has a thematic similarity to fiction written for
evangelical Christian audiences, an overlap that parents and religious
teachers may choose to emphasize. Sidebars explain Arabic terms and
aspects of Muslim belief and practice referred to in the stories.
Devotional poems, selections from the Quran, and activities appear
throughout. Soft, full-page pencil illustrations accompany the tales,
and smaller illustrations are worked into the sidebars and stories.
Though Khan's purpose is to explain Islam to non-Muslim children, the
most avid audience for this book may be American Muslim children excited
to finally find stories with characters to whom they can relate."
-School Library Journal-
"A new book by Toronto author Rukhsana Khan could
fill an underserved niche in the children's market: Muslim Child,
released in August by Napoleon Press, explores eight characters'
devotion to, and struggle with, their faith."
-Quill & Quire-