Dawood, A. Yusuf and Yusra’s Spooky Dilemma. Illustrated by Fatimah Farooqi. NP: Shush Books, 2023.

Summary

It’s the day before Halloween, and Cedarcrest Elementary School is getting ready to throw a big Halloween party!

Yusra feels excited because she wants to hang out with her best friend at the party. But she feels conflicted because her mama and abbu say their family doesn’t celebrate Halloween. So what can she do?

Through faith and friendship, YUSUF AND YUSRA’S SPOOKY DILEMMA is the perfect holiday read to let Muslim children know that it’s okay not to celebrate some holidays.

Preorder Yusuf and Yusra’s Spooky Dilemma on Amazon – https://amzn.to/47Kxatp

My Kid Review

Yusuf and Yusra’s Spooky Dilemma is yet another book in A. Dawood’s series about a Muslim family navigating holidays in a non-Muslim world. 

Like the other books in the series, Dawood has included many Arabic words without an English translation, although not as many as in the other titles I’ve read. The story was also a little easier to follow than the other titles had been. 

Those who don’t like Halloween and all that it stands for may not appreciate the references to skeletons, vampires, ghosts, and more in this story. I did appreciate the way the Muslim children stood up against celebrating Halloween – I wish more Christian kids would do the same. I loved how the mom actually explained to the children the origins of Halloween and why it isn’t good. 

As with the other titles, the illustrations could use a little work. Fatimah Farooqi’s illustrations do compliment the text, they just aren’t of a very good quality in the book. 

I’m not sure of the place Yusuf and Yusra’s Spooky Dilemma has in a K-12 Christian school library. I think librarians (and parents) will need to make that determination on their own. 

I received a complimentary copy of Yusuf and Yusra’s Spooky Dilemma.  This is my honest review. 

About the Author – A. Dawood

A. Dawood, born and raised in Montreal, Canada, to an Indian family, currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. She studied Islamic Theology for five years at Mu’einul Islam Seminary in Johannesburg, South Africa—some of her most inspiring and life-changing years.

A. Dawood nurtured a love for reading and writing since childhood and is passionate about weaving Islamic elements into her characters and stories. She is also the author of The Say SubhanAllah series, a picture book series encouraging children to love Allah and His creation.

Now a mother of three little girls, she loves to see the joy on their faces when embarking on literary adventures.

When not writing or teaching, and if the weather is nice, you’ll find the Dawood family hiking, looking for woodland elves, and epic views while escaping tantrums and toddler woes (hopefully!).

Read more Kid Review posts.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2024 (1/25/25)

MCBD is in its 11^th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.

Read Your World celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day and is honored to be Supported by these Medallion and Ruby Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)

🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight, Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Lerner Publishing Group

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🏅 Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Lee and Low Books, Cardinal Rule Press

🏅 Bronze Sponsors: CK Malone, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Anita Crawford Clark, Star Bright Books, Blue Dot Kids Press, Brunella Costagliola, Red Fin, Fabled Films 

Ruby Sponsor: Crayola 

Poster Artist:  Rebecca Burgess 

Classroom Kit Poster: Barefoot Books 

MCBD 2024 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Gwen Jackson, Josh Funk, Eugenia Chu, Sivan Hong, Marta Magellan, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Angela H. Dale, Maritza M Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Charnaie Gordon,  Alva Sachs, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Lisa Chong, Diana Huang, Martha Seif Simpson, DARIA (WORLD MUSIC WITH DARIA) Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Gea Meijering, Stephanie M. Wildman, Tracey Kyle, Afsaneh Moradian, Kim C. Lee, Rochelle Melander, Beth Ruffin, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Alina Chau, Michael Genhart, Sally J. Pla, Ajuan Mance, Kimberly Marcus, Lindsey Rowe Parker

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📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

• MCBD 2024 Poster
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📌 Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party

Join us on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 9 pm EST celebrating more than 10 years of  Multicultural Children’s Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party! Register here. 

This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 25, 2024, at our virtual party!

You’ll find the link party at https://fresh.inlinkz.com/p/ff851e13c3de4bd0b9c376498d30b7bc on January 25, 2024

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