Golden domes and silver lanterns : a Muslim book of colors

So beautiful.

From a red prayer rug to a mosque’s golden domes, a young Muslim girl shares details of Islamic culture in this concept picture book. The color concept works well to provide a familiar frame for this subject. Each page spread features a short rhymed verse, which uses one color to explain one

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facet of Islamic culture and feature a vocabulary word: “Brown is a date, / plump and sweet. / During Ramadan, / it’s my favorite treat.” The featured words, such as Ramadan, is printed in a larger font to draw attention to it, and while the text and illustrations do not always make the featured word’s meaning clear, there is a glossary at the end of the book to help readers put these words into context. Furthermore, while the verses sometime feel forced, they nevertheless try to provide a sense of textual consistency throughout the book, an important feature for concept books. The illustrations are color-saturated, with the featured color appearing prominently on each page, yet the rich texture never allow the illustrations feel monotonous. Finally, the illustrator depicts the girl and her family in a contemporary setting, with shop windows displaying current fashion, making this text particular accessible to modern-day readers. It is a fine selection for building a multicultural collection. Recommended for readers age 4 to 7.

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At the end of the book there is a wonderful glossary of terms to help describe in more detail the unfamiliar terms used in the book. I think this a great book both visually and educationally.

A beautiful book of colors that incorporates items and events from Muslim culture.

A beautifully illustrated introduction to customs and tenets of Islam.

An informative story about Muslim traditions. It talks about colors and it rhymes.

Brilliant children's book covering both colors and fundamentals of the Muslim culture. Definite recommend for people wanting to raise their children with tolerance.

I liked this book for three reasons. The writing uses a rhyming pattern that allows the story to flow. The subject of the story is Islam and Muslim culture. The average reader might be unaccustomed to this topic or reading the book to learn more about it. I felt like the rhyming gave the story a

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familiar feel which welcomes the reader to a new subject.

Utilizing colors as an introduction to unknown concepts also allows the reader to connect the story to his or her own life. The line “red is the rug, Dad kneels on to pray, facing toward Mecca, five times a day” explains a part of Muslim culture that the reader may have had questions about in the past. It also shows a common practice such as praying in the context of another culture. The writing allows the readers to connect to the topic.

I also liked that the author provides a glossary for the book. Exact translations of words are given along with background information. Terms such as “hijab” are explained as a female head covering, which literally means “cover” in Arabic. This gives the reader an in-depth look at ideas they might want to explore further. I think the glossary helps the audience understand the story and want to know more about the topic.

Finally, I liked the subject matter of the story. The content pushes readers to see a world and way of life different from their own. The book uses words like “zakat” and “Ramadan,” that the reader might not know, but employs familiar concepts such as holidays and food to explain them. I liked that the book illuminated aspects of another culture and pushed readers to reexamine prior concepts about the topic.

The final page of the story talks about how all these colors make up the Muslim way of life. I think this describes the big idea of the story. The central theme is that cultures are unique but share common ways of life. The Muslim holiday of Eid might differ from Christmas or Hanukkah but it is day to celebrate just like the other two. I liked that this picture book dealt with another culture that sometimes carries misconceptions.

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I really liked the illustrations in the book and found them to be very neat and colorful. I like how the book is informative on the Muslim religion. Its something the children can easily catch on to and enjoy as well.

I really liked the book, “Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors” for two main reasons. First, I really liked how the illustrations coincided with what the narrator was saying. For instance, if the narrator said, “Orange is the color of my henna designs. They cover my hands

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in leafy vines” the picture to depict these words would be the narrator holding up her hands with bright orange henna all over them. I thought this was an excellent way to get people to understand and visualize what aspect of her culture the narrator was speaking about. Without the illustrations readers might not known how to picture things unfamiliar to them such as henna or the Quran. I also think the fact the book rhymes is also very effective in getting readers to remember what aspects of Muslim culture coincide to certain colors. Secondly, I really like the general meaning of this book. I feel as though the Muslim culture is one that is judged very easily without much knowledge on it. I think it is extremely important to have books such as, “Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns” to introduce to people at a young age particular aspects of Muslim culture to make them more comfortable with it. The central idea in the book is to relate aspects of the Muslim culture to aspects of our American culture, such as the colors of the rainbow. The central idea is also to educate people on Muslim customs, values, and practices so that non-Muslims get more accustomed to the culture.

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This Muslim book of colors teaches colors using traditional Muslim items such as a Hijab.

This is a beautifully illustrated book by Mehrdokhti Amini. It is a simple book about a young girl and her religion of Islam. She goes through the various colors and relates them to items throughout her day. For example, blue is the headscarf her mother wear everyday. Green is her prayer mat. I

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think that this book would be very informative for Muslim and non Muslim children alike. It also introduces new vocabulary for the students. I really want to read this book at the Islamic school because the school lacks a functioning library and I wanted to read books to them about Muslim children. I want the students to know that there are lots of fantastic books out there for them to read. As a Muslim student myself I find myself able to relate and enjoy books about Muslim children so much so I can only imagine how much they can relate and enjoy the books. I really love this book though. It is probably one of my all time children’s books. Its simplicity but intricacy all together is perfect.

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While Muslims still make up less than 2% of the U.S. population, studies project that number will double in the next two decades. Nevertheless, many Americans don’t know much about Muslims at all, and can be suspicious of what they don’t understand.

This beautifully illustrated book explains for

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young readers some basic aspects of Muslim culture. Each concept is identified by a different color. For example:

"Gold is the dome of the mosque, big and grand.
Beside it two towering minarets stand.”

"Brown is a date, plump and sweet.
During Ramadam, it's my favorite treat."

"White is a kufi, round and flat.
Grandpa wears this traditional hat.”

Deep explanations are generally eschewed for most of the rhymes. For example, we only learn that:

"Blue is the hijab Mom likes to wear.
It’s a scarf she uses to cover her hair.”

"Orange is the color of my henna designs.
They cover my hands in leafy vines."

A glossary at the end also includes short explanations of the customs not elucidated in the two-page spreads making up the main part of the book.

The author says she was inspired to write this book by the desire to bring classical elements of Islamic art into a modern setting. The illustrations by Mehrdokht Amini are absolutely stunning.

Evaluation: As of 2010, there were an estimated 1.6 billion Muslims in the world! This number is expected to climb to 2.2 billion by 2030. This is a lovely book that will provide a rudimentary knowledge of, and positive appreciation for, a culture that is so important to so many.

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This book is very brief but enlightening on the lives of a typical Muslim Family. Two parents with a daughter pray five times a day. The mother wears the traditional headdress and the grandfather wears a Kufi, a religious symbol that is similar to that of the Jewish Yam-aka. The themes of this book

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is the Mosque, and the Muslim family. The pictures are fascinating and speak a thousand words to the audience. It talks about what the religion Islam is based upon, Prayer, fasting, pilgrimage to mecca, and the proclamation of faith put into the context of this family. very illustrative with each color attraction the attention of the reader.

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I really enjoyed reading this book because I learned about the Muslim culture. I also liked the book because of the beautiful and colorful illustrations. The illustrations that the author chose to include in the book were wonderful representations for the reader to learn about Muslim culture. For

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example, the illustrations showed a Grandpa wearing a kufi and how Muslim men and woman dress. I also liked that each page included illustrations that were color coordinated to the writing. For example, “Red is the rug” and “Blue is the hijab.” The book also included engaging writing that rhymed, which I liked. For example, “White is a kufi, round and flat, Grandpa wears this traditional hat.” Another reason I liked the book was because it contained a glossary of Muslim words in the back of the book. This helped me have a better understanding of Muslim words, such as kufi and hijab. The main message of the book was to learn about Muslim culture and traditions, as well as to inspire questions about religions and cultures.

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I enjoyed this book's main idea and illustrations. The main idea of this book is to inform readers about Muslim culture and traditions. The book describes how Muslims kneel on rugs to pray towards Mecca five times a day, women wear hijabs or scarfs to cover their hair, and the Quran is a book that

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contains lessons. I like how the colorful illustrations accompany the text and depict what the text is saying. For example, the henna designs on the main character's hands are drawn in orange and look like leafy vines and the men are wearing white kufis on their heads. I also liked the glossary at the end of the story that defined and explained various Muslim terms.

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This is a wonderful, informative picture book for readers of all ages, particularly young ones. I feel that this story is very well-written and teaches young readers about the differences in cultures, and it portrays the traditions of the Islamic culture. Every page begins with a color that serves

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a purpose to describe something about the Muslim girl’s traditions. For example, one page reads, “Green is the Quran I read with pride. Grandma explains the lessons inside.” This particular page is illustrated with vibrant green hues, and has an illustration of the Quran, which furthers children’s reading comprehension. The rhythmic pattern of the book engages readers as well, as the story continues to explain the narrator’s faith. I feel that any reader can learn a lot about the Islamic culture after reading this short story.

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I loved this book. It is perfect for younger elementary-aged students because it relates colors to objects in the Muslim culture. For example, black is related to the black ink used to write in Arabic. This book connects what we know in the English language (colors) to objects in the Muslim

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culture. It is an excellent way for students to learn about the Muslim culture in a casual manner. The illustrations are excellent, as they connect the content of the text to a visual. Students may have seen some of the objects before, such as a hijab, which is a headscarf. I know some students may question why people wear headscarves, but now they have a better understanding and background knowledge. The book talks about food and holidays, which children can connect to their own celebrated holidays and typical foods that they eat. The glossary at the end of the book is a perfect way for children to recall everything that they read, and could even be used as a review for what objects related to which color. Overall, the illustrations along with the content of this book make it an excellent read for students to learn more about the Muslim culture.

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This book incorporates rhyming and bold color schemes to inform the reader about the muslim culture and colors. The young girl uses a fist person point of view to describe her country of Islam and her culture's, food, beliefs, and traditional head dress. I enjoyed this book because it strays away

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from the typical informational book. The author opens the reader's eyes to a new perspective including the islamic style of art. The pictures have a very smooth texture to them but also incorporate a lot of patterns such as florals paisley and swirls. The artwork looks somewhat like a collage or a clipped style. One of my favorite elements of this book is the glossary in the back that presents another opportunity to learn the important vocabulary that is used throughout.

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There are a few reasons I liked this book. One of the reasons is because the book was not just information thrown onto the pages. The information given was presented through a storyline of a Muslim family. Another reason why I liked it, is because the information is useful information and related

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to the Muslim culture. All of the pictures went along with what was being described in words. For example, when the book was introducing the “Green Quran”, there was a picture of a green Quran. The big idea of this book was to inform its readers about some of the most important aspects and artifacts of the Muslim culture.

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I really enjoyed this book because I learned a lot of information about the Muslim culture, through detailed language and illustrations. The book talked about different Muslim customs and each was represented by an individual color. For example the narrator says, “White is a Kufi round and flat,

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Grandpa wears this traditional hat.” I loved learning about Muslim culture not only through poetry, but also by color. Not only are the illustrations beautiful, but each item or tradition that is being introduced is represented by a specific color. For instance the color blue represents the hijab scarf that women wear to cover their hair, black represents the ink of the Arabic language, and brown represents the date which is a food that is eaten during Ramadan. The book even included many examples of Arabic writing throughout the story. Also, the book contained a glossary, which provided the definitions of the Arabic words. I liked how the story is written from the view point of a Muslim girl because I was able to see how proud she was of her culture. I feel that this type of book is a great way to learn about a new religion because it is captivating and interesting. Instead of a book that just lists facts; the author chose to use symbolism and poetry to teach readers about Muslim culture.
The main idea of this story is to learn about Muslim life and civilization. I learned about different holidays, special clothing and the religion itself. I think that anyone who reads this book will become inspired to learn more about their own or other cultures. We should value our culture, and take pride in what we believe in. I loved the ending message from this story that said, “All of the colorful things we’ve seen make up the world of my faith my deen.”

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I liked reading the book, "Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns." I liked the format of the book. For example, the book rhymed. I liked how each page had a specific color and then it was related to the Islamic culture. For instance, one of the pages wrote, "Red is the rug Dad kneels on to pray, facing

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towards Mecca, five times a day." Secondly, I liked how the book was informative about the Islamic culture. Each page makes learning fun because of the rhyming. For example, I did not know a "mosque" was where Muslims went to pray together. The main idea of the story is about Muslims and the Islamic culture.

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Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns by Hena Kahn is a beautiful picture book that teaches colors through a Muslim perspective.

The book follows a mother and daughter as they walk through their community. The daughter points out the colors of her life and their significance to her.

I read the book with

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my daughter. As we're not Muslims, she had some questions about the different words and the traditions mentioned. It gave us a chance to chat.

For anyone worried (and the book has been challenged), there is NOTHING bad about this book. It is a typical concept book that features a child and her family and a lesson on colors. The only difference is the setting and frankly there needs to be a greater diversity of characters and setting in children's literature.

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Lovely book that uses colors and rhyming text to introduce aspects of being Muslim and the religion of Islam.