RTL: Zero

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: Zero
Author: Kathryn Otoshi
Islamically Appropriate?: Yes

Genre: Fiction

Book Format: Hard Cover

Age Group: 4 years and older

Book Review: From Amazon.com: Zero is a big round number. When she looks at herself, she just sees a hole right in her center. Every day she watches the other numbers line up to count: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 . . . !" "Those numbers have value. That's why they count," she thinks. But how could a number worth nothing become something? Zero feels empty inside. She watches One having fun with the other numbers. One has bold strokes and squared corners. Zero is big and round with no corners at all. "If I were like One, then I can count too," she thinks. So she pushes and pulls, stretches and straightens, forces and flattens herself, but in the end she realizes that she can only be Zero. As budding young readers learn about numbers and counting, they are also introduced to accepting different body types, developing social skills and character, and learning what it means to find value in yourself and in others.

Until the next read insha'Allaah....

RTL: One

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: One

Author: Kathryn Otoshi
Islamically Appropriate?: Yes

Genre: Fiction

Book Format: Hard Cover

Age Group: 4 years and older

Book Review: One by Kathryn Otoshi has a subtle and important message. In this story, children not only learn about colours and numbers, they also explore the problem of bullying. 

Blue is a shy, calm colour and Red is a hot-head who bullies him. The other colours know that Red bullies Blue and while they do not agree with it, they say and do nothing. Soon Red has not only gotten bigger but he is bullying all of the colours and everyone is afraid of him. Until One comes along. Red tries to bully One also but One doesn't allow it and he stands up to Red's bullying. The other colours see how One stands up to Red and they gain the confidence to do the same. Soon, all of the colours stand up to Red and he is disempowered. Red becomes small and starts to slink away. But the other colours invite Red to come back and to join them and all of the colours end up working together. The story ends with a subtle but important message that One person can make a difference.

As much as we may wish this topic was one that did not need attention, that is simply not the case. Bullying is an issue that cannot be ignored and this book, One, is helpful when discussing this topic with children. You can use the ayaat from the Qur'aan and the authentic ahadith about good treatment, good manners, and wanting for your brother what you want for yourself, and then end your unit with this book as a read aloud. Insha'Allaah, the concept of respecting others will not only be understood, but more importantly it will be implemented insha'Allaah. May Allaah guide us and our offspring to righteous behaviour that pleases Him and may He make us of those who follow the best example of His Final Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa salam).

Until the next read insha'Allaah....

Storytime: One Little Blueberry

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

One Little Blueberry was the book for storytime today.

From Amazon.com:

One little blueberry can cause a lot of trouble! Two ants, three ladybugs, four caterpillars, and more hungry bugs all want it for themselves. Who will get the tasty snack? Learning to count from one to ten is a treat with this lively read-aloud that is sure to surprise! Preschoolers will delight in following the blueberry, highlighted on every page with spot lamination! Sturdy cardstock pages make this book just right for little hands.

Show More

Show Less

A book that may make for a very fun and funny storytime.

Storytime: Hide & Seek

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Storytime for today was Hide & Seek by Il Sung Na 

Hide & Seek is a story that preschoolers and kindergartners may enjoy very much. Many preschoolers are aware of, or are becoming aware of, how to play the game Hide & Seek so they easily relate to the plight of the animals as they try to decide where they should hide in their forest playground. They may also be able to relate to elephant as he peeks while counting and flamingo has to tell him, "No Peeking!" (Kindergartners may offer tales of how they had to do the same thing when they played Hide & Seek once upon a time).

The story is also very helpful when teaching preschoolers the numbers 1-10 as they can count along with elephant before he heads off to find all of his hiding friends. Children may also enjoy trying to spot the chameleon hiding on each page. 

The illustrations in Hide & Seek are bright and simple; a great combination for a picture book for the preschool child. On each page there is no too much to distract but enough to engage the attention of the child.

**Note: There is one word in the book that needs to be changed when read aloud. On one page an animal says that he will be as still as a statue (not exact wording). This word "statue" is easily changed to "rock" and the meaning of the story is not effected walhamdalillaah.**

Insha'Allaah, your class/children will enjoy reading Hide & Seek.

RTL: Counting Chickens

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: Counting Chickens
Author: Flensted
Islamically Appropriate?: Yes
Genre: Non-Fiction
Book Format: Picture Book
Age Group: 4-6
Book Review: The mobiles in this book are charming and the author shows how counting can be easily done using the simple designs in each mobile. Each page asks children to find and count certain objects that are found in each mobile presented. There is also a challenge question that encourages the child to think a bit harder *smile*.

There is one page that seems to be related to Halloween so this page should be skipped.
The mobiles in this book may give teachers/parents fun ideas for mobiles they can make with/for their children and how they can use them in math related activities...waallaahu a'lam.

Until the next read insha'Allaah....

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.

RTL: The Ways I Will Love You

 السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: The Ways I Will Love You
Author: Rachel Boehm
Islamically Appropriate?: No
Genre: Fiction
Book Format: Board Book
Age Group: 0-4
Book Review: This story is of a mother telling her child the many ways she will love him. The mother mentions that she will love her child with toys, visits to the library and the zoo, with shape sorters and games and walks in the park. The first lines of the story include the mother telling her child she will love him with music and throughout the book the family dog is present. For these two reasons (i.e. the music and the family dog), I would not recommend this book. If the dog had been absent, I think I would have been inclinded to suggest an alternative way to read the verse that contains the mention of music and then list this book as a recommended one, but as infants and toddlers take in everything around them (visually and auditory) without an ability to discriminate between that which is beneficial and that which is harmful, I would not suggest this book, despite the fact that the story has some nice aspects. 

Until the next read insha'Allaah....

Storytime: Mommy, Carry Me Please!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Mommy, Carry Me Please!

Mommy, Carry Me Please! by Jane Cabrera is a sweet story that infants and young toddlers may enjoy having read to them. A sturdy board book, each page features wonderful illustrations that depict how and where different animal babies are carried by their mothers. The story ends with a human child asking his mother to not only carry him, but to hug him in her arms. A hug: one of the many nice ways to end a story.

Storytime: 3,2,1 Go!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read 3, 2, 1, Go!: A Transportation Countdown (Counting Books)

The appealing aspect of this counting book is the illustrations; they are actual toys set against real backgrounds. Children may delight at the 10 toys school buses, the 9 toy ambulances, the 5 toy taxi cabs, and the (quite wonderful) 4 toy tug boats. All forms of transportation presented in the book are a great exploration activity for small minds. The toy tug boats rest on the shore with the real waves pushing up against them, the 9 toy ambulances sit in the parking lot of what appears to be a real hospital, and in this manner each picture is presented to the child. 

Accompanying each mode of transportation is a very brief sentence that describes/tells what that mode of transportation is used for. This book can be used as a way to help children connect new vocabulary words to the environment and to help children understand that print conveys meaning and describes our world.

This book can be used in conjunction with these transportation activities and children may also enjoy listening to these books whose main theme is transportation also...waallaahu a'lam.

Have a peek inside 3,2,1 Go! insha'Allaah and Enjoy!: