Yo Soy Muslim: A Father's Letter to His Daughter

K-Gr 3--A lovely and lush celebration of intersectionality and identity. In this lyrical letter, a father shares with his young daughter the different questions she will encounter as she grows up as a Muslim and a Latina--some positive and some negative. But, he tells her, "No matter what they say, know you are wondrous." Her father highlights the aspects of her multicultural heritage and roots that she should be proud of. As the pair fly across the night sky, they see angels and hummingbirds, majestic skyscrapers and mosques, and the fields of the girl's ancestors. In times of tribulation, the father advises his daughter, "Say it with me: Yo soy Muslim. Our prayers were here before any borders were." The connection between the girl and her parents is apparent, and the warmth reverberates off the page. Gonzales's inspirational text is matched perfectly by Amini's vibrant, jewel-toned illustrations. The images are rendered digitally but have a patchwork, mixed-media feel, adding to the dreamlike quality of the artwork. Muslims of different racial and ethnic identities are pictured throughout in prayer, emphasizing the diversity of the community. This exaltation of identity will resonate with fans of Patti Kim's Here I Am and Hena Khan's Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns. It would also fit nicely in Father's Day displays and as a world religions curricular tie-in. VERDICT A strong choice for all picture book collections.--Shelley M. Diaz, School Library Journal

Newcomer Gonzales, a Latino poet and convert to Islam, invites his daughter to take pride in her identity and heritage as a "child of crescent moons/ a builder of mosques,/ a descendent of brilliance,/ an ancestor in training." Addressing, by extension, all Spanish-speaking Muslim youth--a growing group in the U.S.--and anticipating adversity at a time when hostility toward Muslims is on the rise, he exhorts readers to stay strong when people "will not smile at you": "Tell them this: Yo soy Muslim./ I am from Allah, angels,/ and a place almost as old as time." Iranian artist Amini's (Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns) folk-art-style human figures have deep, soulful eyes that convey compassion. Realistic urban scenes give way to mythical fantasies: in one, the girl flies with a flock of swans above the minarets of a mosque. This intensely personal book is not meant as an introduction to Islam; instead, it speaks directly to Muslim children growing up in a place where they may be marked as different--children in need of a voice to recognize and speak for them. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)