Salam Alaikum: A Message of Peace

The rewards of paying it forward are at the heart of this picture book adaptation of Muslim pop musician Harris J's 2015 song of the same title, an Islamic greeting that means "Peace be upon you." Jenkins (Chicks Run Wild) provides a down-to-earth visual interpretation of the song's lyrics in cheery digital illustrations. In the opening scenario, a boy offers his umbrella to a young woman during a rainstorm, sparking a sequence of good deeds in a city park: that woman offers a balloon to a child, who then passes it to a scuffed-up skateboarder, who gives an apple to an elderly woman, and so on. All the while, a brigade led by the original boy is seen in the background toting materials to create a vibrant mural. Though the lyrics are rather anodyne ("You can try and turn off the sun, / I'm still going to shine anyway/ and tell everyone/ we're having some fun today"), there's no questioning the sincerity of the message about kindness and coming together. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2--The joy of kind acts, big and small, is celebrated in this visually energetic book based on the lyrics of J's popular song of the same name from his 2015 debut album. A sunshiny palette and a host of diverse smiling faces show the many ways people can spread love, peace, and happiness. Each person performs a compassionate action for another person, who then passes it on, starting with a picture book version of J giving his umbrella to a bedraggled woman in a rainstorm. The more love grows, the stronger the community becomes, until finally the city park is full of people glowing with peace. Notably, the author is a self-identified "proud Muslim and true Brit," and the story provides a positive depiction of Muslim ideals with which readers of all faiths can identify. The jubilant digitally rendered illustrations present a visual narrative for the text, which rarely rises above generic inspirational cliches. While the text encourages readers to "always be kind," the illustrations show kindness manifested as shining splashes of yellow and gold, emanating from the do-gooder out into the world. The story is bookended with the informal and formal ways to say and pronounce "Peace be upon you" and "And upon you peace." For non-Muslim readers, back matter about the cultural and religious significance of the title phrase could be helpful. VERDICT Illustrations depicting diverse individuals and a community-centered message make this a timely purchase for libraries.--Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library