A list of favourite books – by the Ottawa Muslim Homeschooling Network
www.omhn.blogspot.com
Annotated Bibliography:
Hilmy the Hippo series by Rae Norridge; the Islamic Foundation
Hilmy is an endearing hippo who shows patience and thoughtfulness in his actions. Pictures are well-done, showing nature scenes that are peaceful but in which real questions and conflicts occur. Good for exploring feelings.
Allah Gave Me series; the Islamic Foundation
Lovely illustrations, easy and fun rhymes.
I CAN! Series; the Islamic Foundation
After one reading, my five-year-old tried reading the rhymes herself. She had already memorized most of the catchy phrases – or was trying very hard to!
Afghan Dreams: Young Voices of Afghanistan, by Tony O’Brien and Mike Sullivan; Bloomsbury Children’s Books
We’re studying Afghanistan right now, so you’ll find a few books related to this country. This book is a lovely non-fiction collection of pictures and voices of Afghan children talking about their dreams. Brings their reality home to young children (my daughter is fascinated by the lives of Muslims abroad, particularly those in conflict zones.)
Listen to the Wind; the story of Dr. Greg and the Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth; Dial Books for Young Readers
Gorgeous collage photographs. Beautiful true-story with real-life photos at the end. Emphasizes the goodness of humanity and how people of different faiths and backgrounds can work for the common good. Absolutely splendid. There is also an early reader based on the ‘three cups of tea’ that we are in the queue for at our library.
The Rooster’s Gift by Pam Conrad; A Groundwood Book
Beautiful tale about a rooster who realizes it isn’t his morning call that brings up the day – an Islamic teacher would continue the story to explain that it is Allah Who Brings it on. Otherwise, the story does not lack in imagination, or attractive images. Reminds readers indirectly that every being has its purpose but it is Allah Who Controls everything (connection would be made by the educator).
Stem Series; Learning Roots
This publisher has a number of books out for different levels. We just happen to have borrowed the highest level from a friend but I’ve been able to modify it for my five-year-old. However, after looking at their website, I realize they have a lot more available! From the Stem Series, though, I can see these books are extremely well thought-out and challenge children to think, as well as absorb Islamic stories.
Qur’an Stories for Little Hearts; Goodword Kidz
Of course Goodword Kidz has a lot of titles to choose from and it makes for lovely introductions to the tales of the Prophets, etc.
The Roses in My Carpets by Rukhsana Khan
This is for mature six-year-olds or older. It is sensitive subject matter referring to war and pain. I am actually not yet sure if I will introduce it to my daughter yet. Perhaps mature seven-year-olds? But my daughter is so interested in learning about others and about war so I might try it with a lot of explanation and talking. I want her to be sensitive to the word, but not fearful of it.
Kids Will be Kids series, Nabeel Akbar; Kids Will be Kids
http://www.kidswillbekids.org/tb.html
videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/kidswbkids
On a lighter note, these books are terrific in showing Muslim kids having fun in typical pursuits – sledding down snow-covered hills, looking for bugs in the garden, going to the playground. The stories rhyme and are very enjoyable. Pictures are cute.
The following are further lists / comments submitted by OMHN members, (sorry if there are duplicates):
Islamic
"A to Z of Akhlaq" - Goodword
"Goodnight Stories from the life of the Prophet Muhammad" (may peace be upon him)- Goodword
Uthman ibn Affan (may God be pleased with him) adapted from the Arabic by Amal Khatab published
by Ta-Ha Publishers
The Wives of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) by Ahmad Thomson published by Ta-Ha
Portraits from the lives of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad
(may peace be upon him) 3 volumes by abdur Rahman Al-Basha translated by Alexandra S,
Al-Osh published by the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in
America
The Prophets of Allah by Suhaib Ghazi Vol 1-5 published by Iqra
The Prophets of Allah published by Safeer
The Great Light series of 12 books about the Seerah published by Safeer
My Moroccan Village by Nagy and the whole set
Avicenna
When the Moon Split by the same author of Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtoum
Books by Harun Yahya
Tell Me About.. series by Saniyasnain Khan, Harun Yahya, Luqman Nagy
published by Goodword Kidz
The Ramadan Adventures of Fasfoose Mouse
The Hajj Adventures of Fasfoose Mouse
Saladin Heroes of the East series
Muslim Nursery Rhymes by Mustaf McDermot
Books by Khurram Murad --some were liked better than others
Tapes by Anwar Al-Awlaki
We love the Arabic books produced by Scholastics. There is just so many of them. We ordered a set for grade 1, and it seems that Haajar enjoys most if not all, alhamdulillah.
Books by Noura Durkee
The Eman Series, edited by Bilal Philips
Muslim Child by Rukhsana Khan
The Amana Reading series by Uthman Hutchinson { Jamal's Jam,
Crocodiles Pray, etc}
Secular
"Ten little ladybugs" - Melanie Gerth
"If you give a mouse a cookie" - Laura Joffe Numeroff
"Cock-a-doodledoo! Barnyard Hullabaloo" - Giles Andrea & David Wojtowycz
"The Giving Tree" - Shel Silverstein (MY FAVOURITE)
"Sitting Duck" - Michael Bedard
-Most Robert Munsch books.
"HOP ON POP" - Dr. Seuss
"Green Eggs and Ham" - Dr. Seuss
"The Berenstain Bears and the dinosaurs" - Stan and Jan Berenstain
"Now you can read about Whale and Sharks" - Mary Hoffman
"Arthur's Reading Race" - Marc Brown
"Arthur's Promise" - Marc Brown
"Mole in a Hole" - Rita Golden Gelman
"Thomas' Big Storybook" - Random House Children's Books
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Charlotte's Web by E B White
Star Wars The Clone Wars by Karen Miller
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Secret Garden by F Burnett
Heidi by J. Spyri
The Swiss Family Robinson
The Meat Eating Vegetarian
Cheng Ho
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss
The Bernstein Bears Go to the Moon by Stan and Jan Bernstein
Beatrix Potter books
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
There's a Wocket in my Pocket Dr Seuss
A Dragon in a Wagon by Jane Belk Moncure
Rabits' Habits by JB Moncure
"Let's Talk about... " (Tattling, Disobedience, Bossing etc)
Books by Robert McCloskey
Curious George by H.A. Rey
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott
Some by Robert Munch
Some by Nancy Tafuri
Winnie the Pooh and House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne
* * *
Toddlers to Preschoolers
Berenstein Bears (especially The Berenstein Bears and the Messy Room, ... and the Gimmes - mom's favourites - and the Great Honey Hunt
All of Richard Scarry
Are you my mother? By PD Eastman
All of Dr Seuss (especially The Lorax, the Sneeches, Horton hears a Who ...all a profound social commentory - as well as the rest)
Some of Robert Munsch (Paperbag Princess; Andrew's Loose Tooth; Smelly Socks)
Silly Chicken by Rukhsana Khan
Early Readers
Amelia Bedelia
Berenstein Bear Chapter books
Beverly Cleary
Rohld Dahl - selected (Fantastic Mr Fox; the Enormous Crocodile)
Enid Blyton
Encyclopaedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol
Joy Berry's Lets Talk About ...
Joy Berry's A Fun and Easy Way to .... (I remember the books, but think the series may have gone under another name, but the content still appears to be the same.)
The Boxcar Children
William (a series by Richmal Compton)
Bob Books
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