- MuslimMommyblog
Seven is Special
Age recommendation: girls ages 6-9⠀ ⠀ Islamic screening: clean of any issues⠀ ⠀ This book is published by IIPH - International Islamic Publishing House and written by Shagufta Malik of @expatfamilyoffive .⠀ ⠀ Maryam is a young girl living in the UK and has just turned 7. Her family is about to take a summer trip to Mecca to perform Umrah but it turns out her mother gets ill (due to pregnancy) and the trip gets canceled. Maryam is really irritated at this, and mentions how sad she is she can’t visit the Kaabah. She draws a picture of the Salah party she had at age 7 and talks about praying and trying to make duaa to her wish for “curly hair” instead of the straight hair she has. (This was incredibly funny, as I am pretty sure all little girls want to change their hair at some point!)⠀ ⠀ The story continues on until Maryam’s mother has a baby on the same day as Maryam’s eighth birthday. You really see Maryam change in the story and become more confident in herself. A lot of issues are also in the story, like Maryam’s shyness/embarrassment at being different at her public school, doing wudu in a public sink, as well as being embarrassed to pray in front of others.⠀ ⠀ I really like the issues brought up in the book, as it shows how normal it is for kids to be shy at being different, but it empowers young readers to be proud of themselves and not worry about others. Maryam’s thoughts are pretty funny and relatable for all Muslim kids, and especially at the end, when she uses Dua to pray for her mom, you can see how she transforms from a young spoiled little girl to a slightly more mature, more confident eight year old.⠀ ⠀ I did notice some content sometime that seemed a little out of place and a little strange, like comments about her parents fighting loudly, some of the grown-ups condescending attitudes towards her (like the nurses and even her favorite aunt at times). It doesn’t really affect the overall story though, and Maryam’s astute comments show that she is smart for her age and understands a lot of what isn’t being said to her. (like most kids)
I liked the style and colors of the books, and the font/pictures is wonderful! ⠀
price: 8 usd
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