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Golden domes and Silver lanterns-Read Aloud books for Children-a Muslim book of colors  by Hena Khan

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Read Aloud of Under My Hijab | Picture Book Review & Story Read Aloud for Kids

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Books for Kids! My First Ramadan by Karen Katz, read aloud by Kids Books Read Aloud

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I bet, just like me, your heart breaks when you hear news stories about intolerance and violence towards Muslims around the world and at home. I bet, like me, you want to make sure you bring up your children to be compassionate global citizens who value the differences and similarities between communities. One way to teach inclusion is to read picture books that depict all types of people. This list of children's picture books with Muslim characters serves two purposes.

The first is that it helps makes the Muslim community visible to others. If non-Muslims are shielded from seeing other cultures, religions and ethnicity in picture books, they will remain isolated.

Second, and I can't stress this enough, Muslim boys and girls deserve to see themselves in picture books! Non-Muslim children will benefit by not always seeing themselves as the center of all activity.

I also didn't want to make a list of books that only showed Muslim children in stressful situations. Most of the Muslim children's books on this list depict children in everyday situations, experiencing joy in their identities and dreaming about their futures.

So don't let picture books continue to reinforce boundaries between people who are more alike than different. We can learn to appreciate our differences and rejoice in our similarities. To help you, I've divided the list into several sections, but there is much cross-over. Happy reading!

(Note: book covers and titles are affiliate links.

Joyful Muslim Children's Books about the Head Scarf

Under My Hijab by Hena Khan. What a delightful book filled with strong female role models! A girl narrates her observations of how six women in her life wear ( or don't wear) the hijab. The women are shown in a variety of occupations both at work and at home. At the end of the book, the narrator tries on her own hijab and looks forward to her future and how and when she will wear the hijab.

Mommy's Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. A young girl admires the scarves her mother wears. She takes joy in looking through the closet, dancing with them, trying them on and imagining the possibilities of when she will wear her own. No matter what the reader's background, every child will see themselves in the young narrator as she celebrates the khimar and the loving relationship she has with her mother.

Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane. I love the wonderful, vibrant illustrations in this book about a Mauritanian girl who envies the malafa worn by the women around her. She longs for the day that she, too, can wear the colorful garment. She wonders about how the malafa will make her feel-will it make her feel beautiful or mysterious? Finally, when she understand the malafa's true purpose is one connected to faith, her mother lets her don the malafa.

Picture Books with Muslim Families

Muslims as Part of a Diverse Community

Lailah's Lunchbox by Reem Faruqi. It is the start of Ramadan and Lailah is finally participating in the daytime fast. Although she is excited that she is old enough to fast, she feels anxious that her new classmates will not understand. She goes to the school library during lunchtime where the librarian helps her express how she feels in a way that she can share with her classmates. Not only is this an excellent book to explain the Ramadan holiday, but since most children feel "different" from the peers at one time or another and the message in Lailah's Lunchbox will be understood by all.

Concept Books for Preschool with a Muslim Theme

Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes by Hena Khan. Like the companion book ( see above), this title uses cultural symbols of Islam to teach kids about shapes and the illustrations are just as gorgeous. I also found it surprisingly peaceful to read!

Muslim Picture Book Biographies and History
More books lists with picture books that feature Muslim characters:

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Children's Picture Books with Muslim Characters

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I bet, just like me, your heart breaks when you hear news stories about intolerance and violence towards Muslims around the world and at home. I bet, like me, you want to make sure you bring up your children to be compassionate global citizens who value the differences and similarities between communities.