The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad & S.K. Ali

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚

Title: The Proudest Blue

Author: Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali @ibtihajmuhammad@skalibooks

Illustrator: Hatem Aly @metahatem

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Age: 5+

Rating: 10/10 🌟

Summary:

Faizah is excited to start the first day of school with her new light-up shoes. This is an extra special day as it is her older sister's first day of hijab. A big milestone. "First day of hijab is important...It means being strong." Once at school, Faizah notices that not everyone sees her sister's hijab the way she does. Faizah remembers her mothers encouraging words to help her through the day and give her strength.

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Lessons:

I have been patiently waiting for this book at our local library. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. This book is AMAZING. So many beautiful gems come through this picture book. Family, love, courage, strength, identity. I love every single page - each one uniquely carries a powerful message that beautifully comes through the text as well as the illustrations. It is evident that the execution of the story line is done with great effort and care. The protagonist is presented in such a realistic way as she expresses herself in her childish, playful manners while simultaneously navigating through the negativity of others. The love and bond between the sisters is a beautiful thing. The way Faizah experiences her sister's first day of hijab is incredible - she worries about her, she checks in with her to make sure she is okay, she thinks about her while in class, she is proud of her bravery and strength, she aspires to be just like her. Although, their mother is only shown on the first page of the book, her encouraging words and wisdom is remembered by Faizah as her guide during the ups and downs of her day. Not only does this book need to be in every Muslim home, school and masjid, it would be a wonderful addition to any classroom as well. This story sets a new high bar for all the hijab picture books out there.

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#muslimkidsbooks#islamickidsbooks

#muslimauthor#muslimkidslit#raisingmuslimreaders

Oct 8/2019