In My Mosque

by M. O. Yuksel, Hatem Aly (Illustrator)

Overview

"This marvelous, welcoming book on mosques, Muslims, and Islam is a must, offering foundational knowledge on the world’s second largest religion." —School Library Journal (starred review)

Step in and discover all the rituals and wonder of the mosque in this lyrical debut picture book from M. O. Yuksel, with gorgeous artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Hatem Aly. A great conversation starter in the home or classroom, this book is perfect for fans of All Are Welcome and The Proudest Blue.

No matter who you are or where you’re from, everyone is welcome here. From grandmothers reading lines of the Qur’an and the imam telling stories of living as one, to meeting new friends and learning to help others, mosques are centers for friendship, community, and love.

M. O. Yuksel’s beautiful text celebrates the joys and traditions found in every mosque around the world and is brought to life with stunning artwork by New York Times bestselling illustrator Hatem Aly (Yasmin series, The Proudest Blue, The Inquisitor’s Tale). The book also includes backmatter with an author’s note, a glossary, and more information about many historical and significant mosques around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062978707
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	03/23/2021
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	68,066
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

M.O. Yuksel is a children’s book author who grew up attending many beautiful mosques around the world. With roots in Turkey and Uzbekistan, she loves writing about diverse cultures and fascinating historical figures. Visit her online at moyuksel.com.

Hatem Aly is an Egyptian-born illustrator whose work has been published all over the world. When he was a child, he would imagine shapes forming on the mosque’s carpet if he stared down long enough, which then swiftly disappeared and transformed into beautiful patterns when he looked up. He is pretty much the same as a grown up, too. His illustrations have earned multiple starred reviews and positions on the New York Times bestseller list including The Proudest Blue (with Ibtihaj Muhammad & S.K. Ali), the Yasmin series (with Saadia Faruqi), and The Inquisitor’s Tale (with Adam Gidwitz). He currently lives in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada, with his wife, son, and more pets than people.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/26/2021

Debut author Yuksel writes a rich introduction to mosques, encompassing Muslim garb, ideals, and practices. Employing the refrain “In my mosque,” she offers an observation on each verso page (“In my mosque, aunties’ hijabs sway like a sea of flowers as we move through our prayers”), with a child’s first-person perspective relayed on the recto (“I try to pay attention, although sometimes I get distracted”). Rendered digitally with scans of ink washes, textures, and patterns, Hatem’s art offers a lush, multilayered appeal: golden world balloons with holy phrases; intricate, delicate-lined details; and inclusive scenes with people of varying abilities, ages, skin tones, and sizes. This personable, sensory love letter to a range of children’s mosque experiences will engage new learners and resonate with those already familiar. Back matter includes more information about mosques, a glossary, an author’s note, and more. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"Young readers are welcomed to a mosque brimming with faithful family, friends, and community. Both text and art convey some tenets of Islam and emphasize the mosque's role as a place for faith and celebration." %COMM_CONTRIB%Horn Book Magazine

In My Mosque draws readers into the Muslim house of worship to show how it is so much more than a place to pray. . . Aly’s (The Proudest Blue, 2019) illustrations echo the warmth of Yuksel’s text, depicting loving, happy communities, rich in diversity of all sorts. The striking use of geometric patterns found in Islamic art and architecture might inspire classroom art projects to complement a narrative study of houses of worship.

Booklist

"Young readers are welcomed to a mosque brimming with faithful family, friends, and community. Both text and art convey some tenets of Islam and emphasize the mosque's role as a place for faith and celebration."

Horn Book Magazine

In My Mosque draws readers into the Muslim house of worship to show how it is so much more than a place to pray. . . Aly’s (The Proudest Blue, 2019) illustrations echo the warmth of Yuksel’s text, depicting loving, happy communities, rich in diversity of all sorts. The striking use of geometric patterns found in Islamic art and architecture might inspire classroom art projects to complement a narrative study of houses of worship.

Booklist

★ 01/01/2021

PreS-Gr 3—This beautifully illustrated picture book, with its straightforward text, goes a long way to gently inform readers about a religion and sector of society many of them outside the faith of Islam might not encounter. Yuksel follows a young boy as he goes to his mosque on Friday, the holy day for Muslims. The perspective remains that of a child. In the mosque are rooms for prayer, meeting with fellow worshipers, rooms to gather food from food drives and other charity events, and even places for the children to play. Their prayers focus on unity among all people, and peace, love, and joy for all. They believe that, although religions may differ, we all come from the same creator. The artwork takes its cues from Middle Eastern motifs and was created digitally using scans of washes, inks, textures, and patterns. Arabic is used in certain places and those phrases are explained in the generous back matter of the book. Pair this with David Macaulay's Mosque for a detailed, architectural look at these spaces. VERDICT This marvelous, welcoming book on mosques, Muslims, and Islam is a must, offering foundational knowledge on the world's second largest religion.—Joan Kindig, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA

School Library Journal

2021-01-13
Children welcome readers into different mosques to learn about varying activities and services that take place in them.

Though many different mosques and children are depicted, the voices call readers’ attention to the similarities among Muslim communities around the world. Yuksel highlights the community eating together; women, men, and children sharing the space and praying together; grandfathers thumbing their tasbihs; grandmothers reading the Quran; aunties giving hugs; children playing. The effect is to demonstrate that a mosque is more than just a building but rather a space where children and adults come together to pray, give, learn, and play. Joyful characters describe what happens in simple, poetic language: “In my mosque, the muezzin’s call to prayer echoes in the air. I stand shoulder to shoulder with my friends, linked like one long chain.” Aly’s bright illustrations pair well with Yuksel’s words, ending with a beautiful spread of children staring at readers, waving and extending their hands: “You are welcome in my mosque.” The variety of mosques included suggests that each has its own unique architecture, but repeating geometric patterns and shapes underscore that there are similarities too. The author’s note guides readers to her website for more information on the mosques depicted; they are not labeled, which is frustrating since the backmatter also includes a tantalizing list of famous mosques on every continent except Antarctica.

Both a celebration of and an introduction to the mosque. (glossary, sources) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews

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