One Sun and Countless Stars: A Muslim Book of Numbers and the board book version of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors, both by Hena Khan and illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini are bright, engaging books that celebrate Muslim practices and are fun to read. These books are a lovely way to feature and/or introduce Islam to children regardless of their faith.
In addition to their basic learning premises of colors and numbers, I appreciate how both focus on family, bringing in mention of mom, dad, grandma, grandpa. And they don’t shy away from Arabic words like suhoor and fanoos. While I hope some, like Eid and hajj are familiar to most, others will likely be unfamiliar to non-Muslim readers (as they were to me — more so in One Sun than in Golden Domes). But the pictures along with a helpful glossary and pronunciation guide in the back of both books make this a learning opportunity for kids and parents alike. The words themselves have a nice rhyming rhythm when you read them aloud, and for the board book, they don’t feel overwhelming long which can sometimes be the case when picture books get sized down. Also, on a minor note, the font is very fun!
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