Yo Soy Muslim

May 29, 2017
Newcomer Gonzales, a Latino poet and convert to Islam, invites his daughter to take pride in her identity and heritage as a “child of crescent moons/ a builder of mosques,/ a descendent of brilliance,/ an ancestor in training.” Addressing, by extension, all Spanish-speaking Muslim youth—a growing group in the U.S.—and anticipating adversity at a time when hostility toward Muslims is on the rise, he exhorts readers to stay strong when people “will not smile at you”: “Tell them this: Yo soy Muslim./ I am from Allah, angels,/ and a place almost as old as time.” Iranian artist Amini’s (Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns) folk-art-style human figures have deep, soulful eyes that convey compassion. Realistic urban scenes give way to mythical fantasies: in one, the girl flies with a flock of swans above the minarets of a mosque. This intensely personal book is not meant as an introduction to Islam; instead, it speaks directly to Muslim children growing up in a place where they may be marked as different—children in need of a voice to recognize and speak for them. Ages 4–8.

June 15, 2017
In Gonzales' first book for children, a father tells his Latin American indigenous, Muslim daughter to face the world's questions with pride in her identity. This "Father's Letter to His Daughter" faces the question of identity head-on. The intimate text instructs the girl to remember Mayan pyramids as she walks "in the steel shadows" of cities and assures her that "there are questions we all ask / when we are learning what it means to be human." The father then prepares her for the "questions this world will ask" without smiling: "What are you? / And / where are you from?" Father instructs daughter to say, "Yo soy Muslim. / Our prayers were here / before any borders were." Stylized illustrations emphasize light and dark, warm and natural colors, highlighting the girl, with her orange, patterned dress and large eyes gazing out at readers or up at other characters in her world and the things her father shows her. The girl's gestures and gaze show that she is absorbing all that is happening around her. A poetic celebration of heritage and faith, past and future, this book is unique for its blend of indigenous, Spanish-speaking cultural content with Muslim religious identity. This book will be cherished by Muslim families seeking to boost their children's confidence and intriguing for non-Muslim families seeking to learn. (Picture book. 3-9)

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June 1, 2017

K-Gr 3-A lovely and lush celebration of intersectionality and identity. In this lyrical letter, a father shares with his young daughter the different questions she will encounter as she grows up as a Muslim and a Latina-some positive and some negative. But, he tells her, "No matter what they say, know you are wondrous." Her father highlights the aspects of her multicultural heritage and roots that she should be proud of. As the pair fly across the night sky, they see angels and hummingbirds, majestic skyscrapers and mosques, and the fields of the girl's ancestors. In times of tribulation, the father advises his daughter, "Say it with me: Yo soy Muslim. Our prayers were here before any borders were." The connection between the girl and her parents is apparent, and the warmth reverberates off the page. Gonzales's inspirational text is matched perfectly by Amini's vibrant, jewel-toned illustrations. The images are rendered digitally but have a patchwork, mixed-media feel, adding to the dreamlike quality of the artwork. Muslims of different racial and ethnic identities are pictured throughout in prayer, emphasizing the diversity of the community. This exaltation of identity will resonate with fans of Patti Kim's Here I Am and Hena Khan's Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns. It would also fit nicely in Father's Day displays and as a world religions curricular tie-in. VERDICT A strong choice for all picture book collections.-Shelley M. Diaz, School Library Journal

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2017
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Framed as a letter from a father to his daughter, this joyful, reverent book invites readers into a sacred space. A young girl climbs trees to counts stars, gazes up at a skyscraper, and flies through the moonlit night, all the while her father, in the exquisite poetic text, reminds her that life is as filled with beauty as it is with questions: Who invented my hands? Why wasn't I born with wings? There are also the more concrete questions that others will ask: Who are you? Where are you from? And then, as suspicious eyes gaze, comes the honest gut punch: And there will come a day when some people in the world will not smile at you. In a scene of serenity, the child receives quiet but also profound advice: Tell them this. / Yo soy Muslim. / I am from Allah, angels / and a place almost as old as time. / I speak Spanish, Arabic / and dreams. This startling introduction to faith captures the inclusiveness of Islam as do the following spreads showing children of different races and colors juxtaposed against scenes of nature and art. Using collage-style techniques and featuring bold characters, Amini's joyful, boisterous art soars, and readers may well feel they're flying, too. A special book that truly seems to dance with the wind and smile at the sun. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)