Rukhsana Khan – Author & Storyteller

Muslim Child

By Rukhsana Khan

Illustrated by Patti Gallinger

Sidebars by Irfan Alli

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.

Published by in Canada by Dundurn Press

72 pg, Softcover

ISBN 0-929141-96-2

AR Quiz No. 56697 EN Fiction
IL: LG – BL: 4.4 – AR Pts: 2.0
AR Quiz Types: RP
Rating: 3 1/2 STARS

Resources

Rukhsana’s Book Talk/Tutorial for how best to use this book in the classroom

Awards & Recognition

Shortlisted for the 2001 Hackmatack Award (N.S.L.A)

A Canadian Children's Book Centre 'Our Choice' Book

Reviews

"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…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 Starred Review
"A new book by Toronto author Rukhsana Khan could fill an underserved niche in the children's market: Muslim Child… explores eight characters' devotion to, and struggle with, their faith."
Quill & Quire