Storytime: أنا ورقة نبات (I am the plant leaf)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

The book for storytime today is

أنا ورقة نبات

 (I am the plant leaf)

شرح علمي مبسط ومسل للأطفال عن أوراق النبات ومراحلها وأهميتها تحكيه ورقة بلسانها.

This story explains to children the importance of the leaves of plants, what they do for trees, and how their work changes based on the seasons and the cycles they go through. Aside from being read aloud, this book is one that can be recorded and placed in your science centre for children to listen to when you are teaching certain themes (i.e. season, plants, etc.) as the book has taken the scientific explanation and simplified it for children very well masha'Allaah. Arabic Only.

Storytime: رحلة فاشلة (Failed Trip)

  السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

 

 رحلة فاشلة

 

 

In رحلة فاشلة (Failed Trip) a little kitten learns to be satisfied with what he has. After a cat named Qaatqut comes to visit Bisbis and remarks that he eats fish every day while Bisbis only eats fish twice a month, Bisbis accepts an invitiation from Qaatqut to visit a nearby market so he can eat fish every day as Qaatqut has said they will. During the trip, Bisbis looses Qaatqut and cannot not find him but he also does not know the way back to his house. 

 

This is a cute story that has, alhamdulillaah, the characters calling on Allaah for aide and also finding the way home by remembering that there is a masjid near their owners house. 

Alhamdulillaah, a story with a nice message to be grateful for what Allaah has provided you with and not look at what others have and in doing so not be satisfied with your rizq.

Storytime: ألوان ألمير (Elmer's Colours)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

ألوان ألمير (Elmer's Colours)

As the title suggests, children learn about different colours in Elmer's Colours. For children who are learning to read in Arabic or who are learning Arabic and English simultaneously, this book has easy to read text that children may be able to read independently rather quickly...waallaahu a'lam. 

 The fact that the elephant itself is an array of colours certainly helps to reinforce the colour concept but I wonder if it will also be a distraction. What do you think? I can easily imagine students calling out the different colours they see on the elephant as the story is being read aloud. Often during storytime, we want students to be involved in the storytelling but there are limits (i.e. when it becomes so distracting to the storyteller and other children who are trying to listen to the story but can't due to the commotion). Maybe this book is best reserved for family storytime?

When reading the story aloud, the name of the elephant can easily be changed by the storyteller or if you are a parent/teacher who chooses to keep make-believe at bay until after your child(ren) has/have a firm understanding of reality vs. imaginary (as some parents/teachers wish to do), you can simply say elephant. This is one of the many benefits of reading aloud *smile*...you can alter the story to fit your family's needs and  preferences. So Elmer becomes Ahmad, Ahmad becomes Nada, etc. 

If you do not find this book in your local library and would like to order it, you can do so here insha'Allaah. You can also ask your library to add it to their collection insha'Allaah.

Storytime: Kulu Shajaratin Bithalath (Arabic): Each Tree Three

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read Kulu Shajaratin Bithalath

(Each Tree Three)

This story is a bit longer than Ana wa Akhi and contains a lesson within the story. When a town that is blessed with trees surrounding it, wells that are full with water, and abundant profits from the wood of the trees, acts irresponsibly by not considering the consequence of cutting down their trees without replanting new ones, they soon find themselves not receiving much water. Without enough water for their people and enough trees to continue making a living, they decide to leave the town and find a new town that has many trees and wells full with water. An old man provides them with wise advice telling them that this will not solve their problem and they will find themselves in the same situation later. He advices that for every tree they cut down, they replant three trees in its place.

This is a nice story that can be used to teach children the importance of 1). Being thankful for the sustenance Allaah provides and 2). Being responsible stewards of the earth.

You can download this book and others here

(please note, not all books in this collection are Islamically appropriate)

Storytime: Ana wa Akhi:Me and My Brother (Arabic & English)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read Ana wa Akhi (Me and My Brother)

This is a cute and fun story about two boys, Waleed and Sa'eed. Waleed is the older of the two and tells how he prepares himself for school each morning. Sa'eed, wishing to imitate his older brother tells how he too gets ready for school in the morning, although he is too young to go to school yet *smile*. The ending is very cute as Sa'eed does not make it off to school as he planned but makes it off to sleep instead!

The books from this series are several but all are not appropriate. I downloaded this book from a blog and when I went to link back to it, I could not locate it or the other two books they had (but you can click on the title of the book above to download a copy from box.net).

And I just googled to try to find the book again but instead I found this! It's the book with English translation alhamdulillaah. This is nice for those wishing to increase their child(ren)'s Arabic vocabulary. Each page has select vocabulary words and in the back of the book all of these words are listed in a mini-dictionary format.

Enjoy your reading insha'Allaah!

Storytime: Karim and Mother in the Kitchen (Arabic)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read كريم و ماما في المطبخ

This is a nice book about a boy, Karim, and his mother, making cookies in preparation for friends who are on the way. The story shows the reader, in appropriately few steps, how to make sugar cookies. The illustrations are nice but there are a few aspects of the story you may wish to change as you read. For instance, the word "mama" was replaced by the word "Ummuhu" (his mother) and "Uh-oh!" was replaced with "Subhana'Allaah!". In another part of the book, you will need to point out that we do not eat with our left hands. Aside from that, the story is a nice read alhamdulillaah. The book also has taskeel on the words so that may be helpful for Arabic Language Learners insha'Allah.

Thus far, I have not been able to locate a place to buy this book by Huda Nashif on the internet but your local library may have it insha'Allaah. If so, your child(ren) may enjoy listening to this story. They may also enjoy the recipe at the end of the book that tells them how they can make their own batch of sugar cookies insha'Allaah (with the help of Father or Mother of course *smile*).

Storytime: Table, Chair, Bear

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read

 Table, Chair, Bear: A Book in Many Languages (Sandpiper Houghton Mifflin Books)

On the inside of the jacket of this book it says that the book is a "playful introduction to languages" and while that may be true, this book can also double for a "first words" book for children who speak any of the 13! languages the book is written in. Familiar objects from childrens' environment are presented in simple pictures and along side each picture, the word for this object is provided in each language.

For children who are learning Arabic, or any of the other twelve languages, this book is helpful because it not only presents the name of the object written in each language, but it also provides the transliteration as well.  The last two pages are by far, the best part of the book (well for me..hehe). Colourful and playful, they are an invitation for exploration. And a nice way to start a game of "I Spy" with your infant or toddler *smile*.

So if the language spoken in your home is: Arabic, French, English, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Portuguese, Lao, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Cambodian or Navajo, and you have an infant, toddler or kindergartner who is still enjoying the fun of learning language, insha'Allaah, they might thoroughly enjoy 'Table, Chair, Bear'.

Storytime: أنا تفاحة (I Am an Apple)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read Ana Tuffah  (I Am an Apple)

This book is a translation of the book I Am an Apple (Hello Reader Science Level 1)

'I Am an Apple' gives preschool aged children a colourful look at the life cycle of an apple. From bud to flower to fruit and beyond, children learn about the life cycle of the apple that just may be in their lunch that day. The illustrations are colourful but non-intrusive. Children have the chance to focus on each detail on the page and gain an appreciation for the process that Allaah has Decreed will produce yummy apples yearly. The text is brief, yet is able to teach science without the story being dry and uninteresting. This is a story that children may enjoy and you may, like myself, end up reading it several times - by request *smile*.

Storytime: الكلمات ليست للإهانة (Words are not for Hurting)

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read, الكلمات ليست للإهانة

(Words Are Not for Hurting (Ages 4-7) (Best Behavior Series))

This book is a very nice edition to a teacher's and/or parent's personal library.

Children love to speak and speak and speak masha'Allaah. They play with language because in this way, they learn it - its nuances, syntax and its grammatical structure. But as children learn to speak, many also learn to say hurtful words to others. This book teaches children that they can make good choices when speaking and they can think about what they are going to say before they say it. It reinforces the hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa salam), "Speak good or keep silent".  Words Are Not for Hurting (Ages 4-7) (Best Behavior Series) is a nice support story that can be used along side The Box of Manners published by Learning Roots.

I chose to mention this book here because it is available in both Arabic and in English alhamdulillaah. You may be able to find this book at your local library and if you do, consider checking it out insha'Allaah (you can purchase the book in Arabic here insha'Allaah). In the classroom, it can be a book that you choose to read during circle time or during the morning meeting. At home, you may choose to read it when sibling disagreements escalate and you notice that a good choice of words ceases to be made.

'Words Are Not for Hurting' also teaches children alternate ways to express themselves that do not result in hurt feelings insha'Allaah. In edition, children are taught positive ways to respond to others who choose to say hurtful words to them.

This is a book worth considering adding to your classroom or home library insha'Allaah.