A lovely peek into life in Israel.
One noise after another wakes Mrs. Strauss from a sound sleep in her small Israeli village.
The rooster’s loud crow wakes her, and then the cat’s meow disturbs her as she tries to fall back to sleep. A mosquito buzzes, while the rooster and cat keep up their calls. “Sheket,” she yells out her window, “Quiet.” Music from the grocer’s radio, the toot-toot of the train whistle, even the swish of the street sweeper all add to the cacophony. Mrs. Strauss pulls her pillow over her head, creating a cool spot to block the harsh sunlight. She falls asleep and dreams of coolness and shade. A different sound awakens her, and this one is heartily welcome; it is the geshem, the heavy rain that will reawaken the parched land. It’s a much longed-for wet day. Readers might wonder why the title is so specific in naming the setting of the tale. But Israel’s climate is really the main character, with long scorching dry spells and that first heavy rain everyone hopes and prays for, and MacLeod weaves hints about the theme in the distress of the animals and the hot, strong sunlight that shines in the window. Beeke’s very bright paintings show the village in the sun’s glare and the rain’s softer light and Mrs. Strauss’ every reaction (and her immovable blue hair, which sits atop her tan face).
A lovely peek into life in Israel. (note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68115-539-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked...
From a debut author-and-illustrator team comes a glimpse into a young American Muslim girl’s family and community as she walks around in “Mommy’s khimar,” or headscarf.
The star of this sunny picture book is a young girl who finds joy in wearing her mother’s khimar, imagining it transforms her into a queen, a star, a mama bird, a superhero. At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother. The family appears to be African-American, with brown skin and textured hair. The girl’s braids and twists “form a bumpy crown” under the khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. Adults in her life delight in her appearance in the bright yellow khimar, including her Arabic teacher at the mosque, who calls it a “hijab,” and her grandmother, who visits after Sunday service and calls out “Sweet Jesus!” as she scoops her granddaughter into her arms. Her grandmother is, apparently, a Christian, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.” The illustrations feature soft pastel colors with dynamic lines and gently patterned backgrounds that complement the story’s joyful tone. The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t.
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0059-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Both a celebration of and an introduction to the mosque.
Children welcome readers into different mosques to learn about varying activities and services that take place in them.
Though many different mosques and children are depicted, the voices call readers’ attention to the similarities among Muslim communities around the world. Yuksel highlights the community eating together; women, men, and children sharing the space and praying together; grandfathers thumbing their tasbihs; grandmothers reading the Quran; aunties giving hugs; children playing. The effect is to demonstrate that a mosque is more than just a building but rather a space where children and adults come together to pray, give, learn, and play. Joyful characters describe what happens in simple, poetic language: “In my mosque, the muezzin’s call to prayer echoes in the air. I stand shoulder to shoulder with my friends, linked like one long chain.” Aly’s bright illustrations pair well with Yuksel’s words, ending with a beautiful spread of children staring at readers, waving and extending their hands: “You are welcome in my mosque.” The variety of mosques included suggests that each has its own unique architecture, but repeating geometric patterns and shapes underscore that there are similarities too. The author’s note guides readers to her website for more information on the mosques depicted; they are not labeled, which is frustrating since the backmatter also includes a tantalizing list of famous mosques on every continent except Antarctica.
Both a celebration of and an introduction to the mosque. (glossary, sources) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-297870-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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