Family and Faith

4/17/2019

Mommy Sayang by Rosana Sullivan

Spring is a good time to explore picture books that celebrate devout Muslim communities and their love of family and faith. May 6, 2019 marks the beginning of Ramadan.

Aleeya and her mother live in a small Malaysian village, a kumpung. Their days were filled with simple joys: chickens, kittens, hanging out laundry, watering the vibrant red hibiscus. Indoors, there is quiet time for mommy's daily prayers, Aleeya's crayoned drawings, and stories under the mosquito net.

They prepare a variety of tempting dishes and enjoy sharing meals with family and friends.

Little Aleeya and Mommy sayang, always together.

Insh'Allah, I will always be by your side.

When Mommy becomes ill, Aleeya cannot be consoled. She refuses invitations to go out with her aunties, wraps herself tightly in her mother's sarong, and remains fixed in on the stair step. Then she comes to a conclusion: perhaps she can help Mommy by bringing her a beautiful red hibiscus. Over time, Mommy recovers. In good times and in times of uncertainty, the love between the two remains constant.

Sullivan’s art is an integral part of Mommy Sayang. Aleeya, Mommy, and other individuals are brightly colored and set against pale backgrounds rendered with a pastel color wash. The exception is the dream sequences. Here the pages explode, filling the entire space with vibrant color and patterns. Aleeya dreams in technicolor. Both faces and body language tell the story: warm embraces, a defiant stomp, a tiny tear.

The theme of parental love echoes throughout the pages: a hen with her chicks, a cat nursing her young kittens, several close-up portraits of Mommy and her daughter. Heartwarming story. Beautiful art.

Meet the Author/Illustrator

Rosana Sullivan is a storyboard artist with Pixar Animation Studios. She worked on several Pixar movies including The Good Dinosaur, Coco, and Incredibles 2. Her picture book is part of Pixar's Artist Showcase series.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 2, 2019 Publisher: Disney Press ISBN: 978-1368015905

The Gift of Ramadan by Rabiah York Lumbard ill by Laura K. Horton

It's time for Ramadan, a month-long religious holiday honoring the revelation of the first verses in the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. It is a time for prayer and refection, study of the Quran, and helping the poor. It may be best known as a period of fasting, going without food and drink from sunup to sundown.

Sophia is excited as her family prepares to begin observing Ramadan and decides that she will observe the traditional fast. "Count me in!" she joyfully exclaims.
She quickly discovers that what sounds wonderful in theory is difficult in practice. She must awake and eat a meal before sunrise, ignore her rumbling tummy, and resist her brother's chocolate chip cookies.

To her dismay, the lure of cookies is impossible to resist. An understanding grandmother helps her see that there are other ways that she can participate in this holy celebration. She can observe Ramadan in a manner that is appropriate for a young child.

Use The Gift of Ramadan to introduce this religious celebration to young readers.

The month is about emptying oneself of all that is selfish, then filling oneself with all that is good, true, and beautiful.

Meet the Author: Rabiah York Lumbard

Meet the Illustrator: Laura K. Horton

Alexis York Lumbard aka Rabiah York Lumbard is an American Muslim living in Qatar with her husband and three daughters. The author of several picture books, she is currently pursuing an advanced degree in creative writing.

Laura K. Horton is a freelance illustrator with a degree in illustration & animation from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.
She is currently residing in Finland, working on an advanced degree in game design and production.