A Wonderful Book for Kids

(Note: I was given this book to review but all opinions are my own.)

“I get a choice every time I have to open my mouth: that it can be with civility and dignity and grace – or not.” Dana Perino.

Civility. Respect. Politeness. Kindness. Listening with an open mind to others who are different.

These are qualities that all people should have — and ones that parents should teach their children.

One way for kids to develop them (in my humble opinion), is to learn about people of different races, cultures, religions, and traditions.

And reading is an excellent way to learn about those differences. Adding a thoughtful discussion during and afterwards helps children to solidify that understanding and enables them to strengthen their ability to be civil.

Amira’s Picture Day by Reem Faruki is a wonderful children’s book that gives a peek at a Muslim holiday and how it is celebrated.

In this book, Amira is excited to have her picture taken with her class at school. She has a pretty pink-striped dress to wear for the picture.

But then she discovers that Eid and the party at the masjid is on the same day. Oh no! She loves Eid but she also wants to be in her class picture. What is she going to do?

(Eid is a major Muslim holiday. Masjid is an Arabic word for a mosque.)

Amira’s mother gently explains to Amira that their family will go to the festival. Amira is both sad and happy. She’s sad because she will miss picture day but happy about going to Eid.

The night before the festival, Amira’s mother paints mehndi designs on Amira’s hands. (People use henna to paint these temporary designs. They are used for special occasions.)

Amira dresses in her shalwar kameez. (A shalwar is a long tunic. A kameez is a pair of trousers that are wide at the waist and narrow at the ankles.)

Amira goes to Eid and has fun. She also makes it in time to school to get her picture taken with her class. She isn’t wearing her pretty pink dress but that’s okay with her.

Let me talk a bit about the author. Sometimes knowing about the author provides a treasure chest of opportunities to learn about people who may be different from you.

Reem Faruqi moved from Abu Dhabi to Georgia (in the United States not the country) when she was 13 years old. She used to teach second grade but is now focusing on publishing children’s books. These books are loosely based on her experiences as a young Muslim girl.

Man oh man! Knowing this, there are tons of things to discuss with your grandkids: Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, what it’s like to move to a different country, being a teacher, and about Muslim life, traditions, and religion. What a great opportunity to learn about that!

You could also talk with your grandkids about how things are similar or different in their life compared to Amiria’s. You could also compare where they live to Abu Dhabi, compare their religion to being Muslim, and discuss what it’s like being a teacher vs. being a student.

This book is an awesome springboard for conversations about how to be nice to others regardless of how they dress, the color of their skin, where they come from, and what they believe.

It’s a marvelous book to add to your personal library and regularly read to grandkids.

You can purchase a hard back copy of Amira’s Picture Day on Amazon for $12.59.