Month: January 2020

Bilal Cooks Daal — A Review

Posted on by Papatia

Bilal Cooks Daal

Summary : Six-year-old Bilal introduces his friends to his favorite dish—daal!—in this charming picture book that showcases the value of patience, teamwork, community, and sharing.

Six-year-old Bilal is excited to help his dad make his favorite food of all-time: daal! The slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia requires lots of ingredients and a whole lot of waiting. Bilal wants to introduce his friends to daal. They’ve never tried it! As the day goes on, the daal continues to simmer, and more kids join Bilal and his family, waiting to try the tasty dish. And as time passes, Bilal begins to wonder: Will his friends like it as much as he does?

This debut picture book by Aisha Saeed, with charming illustrations by Anoosha Syed, uses food as a means of bringing a community together to share in each other’s family traditions.

Author : Aisha Saeed

Illustrator : Anoosha Syed

Publisher: Salaam Reads

Review and thoughts : Bilal Cooks Daal is the third book by the author that I have read where the name Bilal occurs alhamdullilah. She must certainly like the name masha’Allah alhamdullilah. I like that this time it didn’t come unintentionally mis-constructed to me like it did in the first two instances.

Overall, Bilal Cooks Daal is rhythmic, and it teaches children to be patient. It also teaches them colors, smell, taste, and mathematics. This is wonderful all around. The illustrations are also well done. We didn’t find any issue in the book, too. Alhamdullilah.

Find it on Amazon here.

Rating : 5/5

Thank you for reading,

~ A Ducktrinor Mom ~

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The Gift of Ramadan — A Review

Posted on by Papatia

Assalamu aleikum!

the gift of ramadan

Ramadan is fastly approaching, and I finally get a chance to read and review a book I have wanted to get my hands on for quite some time alhamdullilah.

Summary : Sophia wants to fast for Ramadan this year. She tries to keep busy throughout the day so she won’t think about food. But when the smell of cookies is too much, she breaks her fast early. How can she be part of the festivities now?

Author : Rabiah York Lumbard

Illustrator : Laura K. Horton

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

Review and thoughts : The Gift of Ramadan is wonderfully illustrated with a moving story. My only issue was the part of the salat portrayal on the women’s side. The father’s portrayal was fine with his eyes cast down.
On the women’s side, the neck of Sophia’s grandma is bare. She is basically praying with only her turban and her finger is raised in the air I guess to proclaim tawheed. I felt like this part wasn’t executed well or technically accurate. In addition, the strands of hair of Sophia’s mom are showing below her scarf during salat. Outside of salat, people are free to use whatever type of veil they like but during salat we should be thoroughly covered in my opinion to attract angels in the room.

Above all, The Gift of Ramadan explains this important milestone and holy moment for Muslims to those who don’t know while also portraying the determination of a young girl wanting to observe Ramadan in other ways she can instead.

Find it on Amazon here.

Rating : 4/5

Thank you for reading,

~ A Ducktrinor Mom ~