When Muslim families walk into a bookshop looking for books that reflect their children, they are usually pointed toward the Ramadan section. Which is useful in March. But Muslim children exist in September too. They have bad days and best friends and obsessions with basketball and complicated feelings about moving to a new school. They need books where they are simply the main character in a story that is not about their faith.
These ten books are our picks for everyday Muslim representation.
1. Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian
Omar is dealing with a new school and a bully. He happens to be Muslim, and that is part of who he is, but it is not the problem to be solved. This is the series we recommend most often for ages 6 to 10.
2. Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
A Syrian American seventh grader trying to make the football team while his mother is stranded abroad. Told in verse. National Book Award winner. This one is for readers 10 and up who are ready for something that takes them seriously.
3. The Kaya Girl by Mamle Wolo
Set in Accra, Ghana, this is the story of a friendship between a migrant girl who works as a porter and a wealthy doctor's daughter. It is Muslim and African and specific, and it is beautifully written.
4. Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party by Saadia Faruqi
Third-grader Marya wants to be a reporter. She has a best friend, a little brother, and a very busy imagination. The series is warm and funny and moves fast. Good for ages 7 to 10.
5. The Amina Banana Series by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
Amina just moved from Syria to Indiana and is determined to crack the formula for making American friends. Each book in the series handles a different challenge, told with humor and real heart.
6. Zara's Rules for Record Breaking Fun by Hena Khan
Zara runs her neighborhood. When a new kid challenges her authority, she has to figure out what kind of leader she actually wants to be. For ages 6 to 9.
7. Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi
A Pakistani American girl navigating a new competitive swim team and what it costs to be the best. Told in verse. For ages 10 to 14.
8. Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf
A Malaysian girl faces a weretiger to save her grandmother's memories. Rooted in Malay folklore. For ages 10 and up.
9. The Star Outside My Window by Onjali Q. Raúf
A girl who has just entered foster care is convinced the brightest new star in the sky is her mother. This one handles grief and the care system with real delicacy. For ages 8 to 12.
10. Tagging Freedom by Rhonda Roumani
A Syrian American girl processes immigration, loss, and identity through street art. Honest and visually vivid. For ages 10 to 14.
These are all available at Maktabah Bookshop.