Salam Alaikum: A Message of Peace

by Harris J, Ward Jenkins (Illustrator)

Overview

From “the Muslim Justin Bieber” (NPR) Harris J comes a picture book that celebrates spreading peace, love, and happiness throughout the world, using the lyrics of his international YouTube hit of the same name.

Salam Alaikum means “Peace be upon you.” It is the greeting that Muslims around the world use to say “hello” and “good-bye.” International music sensation Harris J has taken that greeting and created a call to action.

Spread peace on the earth...
Treasure the love, let it surround us
Always be kind, always remind one another
Peace on the earth every day

Using the lyrics to the hit song of the same name, and accompanied by heartwarming illustrations that depict the power of paying it forward, this sweet and charming picture book celebrates kindness and community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481489386
Publisher:	Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/05/2017
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,001,837
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD400L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Harris J is a young British Muslim artist whose debut album, Salam, was released in 2015 by Awakening Records. Born in Chelsea in the heart of London, Harris J is a graduate of the world-renowned BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology in London. He considers himself a proud Muslim and a true Brit and is now looking forward to taking his new blend of faith-inspired music to the world. Find him online at Awakening.org/HarrisJ, on Twitter and Facebook at @HarrisJOfficial, and on Instagram at @OfficialHarrisJ.

Ward Jenkins is and illustrator and animator from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s illustrated several picture books, including Chicks Run Wild, as well as the Good Crooks chapter book series. Ward lives with his wife and two kids and hasn’t shaved his beard since 2010. Find him online at @WardOMatic.

Editorial Reviews

07/10/2017
The rewards of paying it forward are at the heart of this picture book adaptation of Muslim pop musician Harris J’s 2015 song of the same title, an Islamic greeting that means “Peace be upon you.” Jenkins (Chicks Run Wild) provides a down-to-earth visual interpretation of the song’s lyrics in cheery digital illustrations. In the opening scenario, a boy offers his umbrella to a young woman during a rainstorm, sparking a sequence of good deeds in a city park: that woman offers a balloon to a child, who then passes it to a scuffed-up skateboarder, who gives an apple to an elderly woman, and so on. All the while, a brigade led by the original boy is seen in the background toting materials to create a vibrant mural. Though the lyrics are rather anodyne (“You can try and turn off the sun,/ I’m still going to shine anyway/ and tell everyone/ we’re having some fun today”), there’s no questioning the sincerity of the message about kindness and coming together. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—The joy of kind acts, big and small, is celebrated in this visually energetic book based on the lyrics of J's popular song of the same name from his 2015 debut album. A sunshiny palette and a host of diverse smiling faces show the many ways people can spread love, peace, and happiness. Each person performs a compassionate action for another person, who then passes it on, starting with a picture book version of J giving his umbrella to a bedraggled woman in a rainstorm. The more love grows, the stronger the community becomes, until finally the city park is full of people glowing with peace. Notably, the author is a self-identified "proud Muslim and true Brit," and the story provides a positive depiction of Muslim ideals with which readers of all faiths can identify. The jubilant digitally rendered illustrations present a visual narrative for the text, which rarely rises above generic inspirational clichés. While the text encourages readers to "always be kind," the illustrations show kindness manifested as shining splashes of yellow and gold, emanating from the do-gooder out into the world. The story is bookended with the informal and formal ways to say and pronounce "Peace be upon you" and "And upon you peace." For non-Muslim readers, back matter about the cultural and religious significance of the title phrase could be helpful. VERDICT Illustrations depicting diverse individuals and a community-centered message make this a timely purchase for libraries.—Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library

School Library Journal

2017-07-02
The lyrics of international music sensation Harris J's popular song are paired with sunny illustrations to offer a youthful vision of world peace and love in this heartfelt picture book. Muslims often explain that their greeting of "Assalaam alaikum" means "peace," but rarely is the idea conveyed so clearly as it is through words and pictures in this new picture book. Harris J's catchy lyrics ("I just want to spread love and peace / and all of my happiness / to everyone that I meet") may not be the most original poetic writing, but they are a breath of fresh air sure to bring a smile to readers young and old while introducing the Muslim greeting as "A Message of Peace," as the title tagline has it. Faces of many races and creeds transform from troubled to ecstatic as strangers perform random acts of kindness and pay forward the love they receive. Jenkins' illustrations use splashes of yellow and gold to visually highlight the good deeds being passed from person to person, so that a dark and dreary day becomes bright through kindness and love. Fans of Harris J will be thrilled and will likely sing the verses happily as they read. Readers new to Harris J will come away with a lasting impression of this young Muslim's commitment to spreading world peace and love. A perfect choice to spread hope and fight stereotypes at the same time. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews