Like the Moon Loves the Sky

Starred review from January 20, 2020
Hena Khan (More to the Story) opens this peaceful incantation with a spread of young brown-skinned parents bowed over an infant: “Inshallah you are all/ that is gentle and good.” A page turn later, they push the baby in a stroller: “Inshallah you feel safe,/ like all children should.” Debuting illustrator Saffa Khan creates vibrant ink and digital spreads in sunset tints striated with blues and greens. As the pages turn, the infant becomes a child, learns to ride a bike (“Inshallah you have faith/ that won’t waver or bend”), and learns to take responsibility for actions; the child is pictured on a doorstep with two friends, one hijabi, holding a note that reads “sorry.” Thoughtfully, a spread that accompanies the words “Inshallah you travel/ to thrilling new places” shows children, including one using a wheelchair, playing make believe instead of on a picturesque overseas trip. It’s a view of a childhood focused not just on well-being, but on hope—to “count all your blessings” and “find wonder”—as well. An author’s note defines inshallah (“if God wills it” in Arabic) as a word “used by people of many faiths to reflect the idea of a greater force or power beyond ourselves.” Ages 3–5.

February 1, 2020

PreS-K-A bedtime story that reassures children that they are loved. This book depicts parents' aspirations and desires for their children at different stages of life. Each page starts with the phrase "Inshallah," which means "if God wills it" in Arabic. Although these hopes and wishes are inspired by the Quran, they portray parents' universal desires for their children, such as "Inshallah you feel safe, like all children should," "Inshallah you are kind to those most in need." Each page depicts how different stages of a child's life add new expectations and hopes for parents, such as "Inshallah you reach out to make new friends" and "Inshallah you speak truth and work for its sake." The illustrations expand across each spread along with one simple sentence and showcase Arabic calligraphy as art pieces on the walls. The artwork is colored with matte tones and has a two-dimensional feel. VERDICT A book for Muslim families to introduce religious traditions to young children and for non-Muslim families who wish to teach diversity and religious acceptance.-Noureen Qadir-Jafar, Syosset Library, NY

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2020
Punctuating the narrative with repetitions of "inshallah," a mother lists the hopes she has for her child in this celebration of unconditional love. Simple and lyrical verse expresses a parent's wish of safety, love, happiness, and so much more for her child. "Inshallah you are kind to those most in need. / Inshallah you seek knowledge, reflect, and read." Saffa Khan's illustrations complement Hena Khan's text, bringing to it a sense of movement, change, and liveliness as she ages the child from babe in arms to preschooler. The clear and short sentences deliver a straightforward message of parental love. Using a vibrant, bright, bold palette dominated by orange, blue, and yellow, the illustrations capture this family's feelings, including such details as Arabic words in the background and an older figure wearing hijab to demonstrate that this is a Muslim family. Family members all have black hair, the brown of their skin varying slightly individual by individual. An author's note before the title page explains the meaning of the phrase "inshallah," noting that it is spoken by Muslims worldwide and expresses a "common theme found in other languages and cultures." This is a lovely addition to the growing collection of diverse books focusing on a family's unconditional love and addresses the dearth of children's books inspired by the Quran. This beautiful, sweet, heartfelt message of love and hope for a child will resonate with many. (Picture book. 3-7)

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February 15, 2020
Preschool-G A foreword from the author explains that the word inshallah translates to God willing, and while it is familiar to Muslims, it has universal significance. The word anchors Khan's meditative text, which reads like a prayer from parent to child, delivered in sweet, rhyming couplets of direct address. Inshallah you are all / that is gentle and good. / Inshallah you feel safe, / like all children should. A single, soft line appears on each spread, all centering on the same child as she ages from page to page?having a picnic, making friends at school, learning how to swim?always in the company of family or friends. Illustrator Khan's sweeping oranges and blues, all beautiful extensions of the family's skin and hair tones, make a stunning visual statement celebrating the values of community, wonder, and love. The book leaves us with the image of the mother reading in bed to her child?an appropriate sendoff. This love letter, a rarity in its lightness of hand, is one that parents, especially Arabs, will cherish bringing into their bedtime routines.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)