Time to Pray

Gr 1—4—Yasmin is visiting her grandmother in the Middle East. She hears the muezzin making his first call to prayer before dawn but is too tired to get up. She watches Teta make wudu (ablution) to prepare for worship. Yasmin wonders how she will know when to pray at home because there are no mosques where she lives, but her grandmother assures her they will find a way. Sadly, the visit comes to an end, and Teta takes Yasmin to the airport. When the girl arrives home, she unpacks her gifts, her prayer costume, and her mat, and she finds a surprise box from Teta. In it, she discovers a miniature mosque that gives the adhan (prayer call) five times a day. This is a beautifully woven tale of grandparent affection and spiritual development. Gannon's illustrations present a warm and authentic balance of Islamic geometric designs and Arab architecture and culture. This bilingual, English and Arabic book ends with an explanation of Salah—the five times during the day of worship for Muslims. Familiarizing Islamic prayer through realistic fiction makes this a fine choice for most collections.—Fawzia Gilani-Williams, An-Noor School, Windsor, Ontario