Lately, I’ve been impressed by the quality of English-language picture books written for young Muslims. Faatimah and Ahmed – We’re Little Muslims is one of them! Sis Razeena from Read Little Muslims very kindly sent me a copy to review.
The book begins with an introduction to the titular pair of siblings, which leads me to believe that Faatimah and Ahmed is meant be a series, building upon the characters with each book. I certainly hope so!
As the story goes on, Ahmed relates to Faatimah what he has learned about the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW. This is where the young reader gets a concise biography of the Prophet SAW, along with on-point illustrations. I especially like this page; it’s handy for introducing the Islamic calendar months to kids who are old enough to grasp the concept of time:
Faatimah and Ahmed serves its purpose wonderfully as a introduction to seerah for young Muslims. I wish I had this book when I first introduced a then-4-year-old H to the seerah of Prophet Muhammad SAW. I believe even kids familiar with the life story of the Prophet SAW would appreciate the story being retold by the adorable brother-sister pair, who are children like themselves!
At 34 pages long, the book may be too long to read to your tots in one sitting. It’s the perfect length for preschoolers and up though. The lively, colourful illustrations will definitely hold the attention of your child. I recently found six-year-old H trying to draw Faatimah, with the book propped up in front of her. She only does this with books or characters she really enjoys.
After we read Faatimah and Ahmed a few times, I asked H which was her favourite part of the book. “The camels! They’re the cutest!” >.< Camels are currently her favourite animal, ever since she rode one in Makkah recently.
I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve read Faatimah and Ahmed over the past few weeks. We have also continued the fun and learning with the free Faatimah and Ahmed activity book. The mazes and dot-to-dot activities in particular were enjoyed very much.
I would highly recommend Faatimah and Ahmed – We’re Little Muslims to parents, grandparents, and educators who wish to plant the seed of love for the Prophet (SAW) in their little ones’ hearts. It’s a book that will inspire young Muslims to find out more about our beloved Prophet (SAW) and follow his noble path. If you’re looking to start your child’s Islamic bookshelf, this book certainly deserves a place on it!
You can purchase Faatimah and Ahmed – We’re Little Muslims off Amazon or Read Little Muslims.