I was really
interested to learn about the hijab and all the different ways it can be worn!
Summary from Amazon:
With cheerful rhyming text by the author of
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, and charming illustrations from a talented
newcomer, Under My Hijab provides a friendly introduction to hijabs for all
readers, and celebrates the many Muslim women and girls who choose to wear
them.
Under My Hijab was written by Hena Khan and
illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel. It was published in 2019 by Lee & Low
Books.
Opening:
Grandma peeks into the oven
as a brown loaf of bread starts to
rise.
Her hijab is carefully folded,
like the crusts on my favorite pies.
My Thoughts as a Writer:
One of the
things I found intriguing about this text was the structure. Each woman or girl
is shown first in one situation wearing a hijab, and then in a situation without
it. I haven’t seen many picture books written this way, but I like the way it
allows the reader to compare the situations easily. I really enjoyed the way
the women are shown with many different roles and interests.
My Thoughts as an Educator:
This is a
great book for talking about individual differences and cultural or religious traditions.
I loved how each character expressed themselves differently through their
clothing.
Ages: 4-9
Grades: K – 3
Themes: individual differences, women,
traditional clothing
Activities:
Dramatic
Play: Provide pieces of cloth for children to fold and experiment with wearing.
Draw &
Write: Do you have a favourite piece of clothing? Draw a picture of it. What
makes it special to you? (Educators
could hang the drawings around the classroom for a “gallery walk” as a basis
for more discussion on individual differences.)
STEAM
Challenge: Design a piece of clothing that can be worn on the head – a head
scarf, hat or hair accessory. What patterns and colours could you include? Draw your design first, and then try to make it using paper, cloth and other
materials.
I love this book. Such a happy cover! We need more books like this for young children. Love your suggested activities!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cover! I look forward to reading this one.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice! I, too, love this book and the unusual way it portrays a woman's individuality. Those who wear the hijab are not monolithic. Thanks for sharing this book!
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting. I added it to my growing TBR pile. Thank you.
ReplyDelete