From School Library Journal
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Grade 3 Up-Demi's somewhat reverent picture-book
introduction to Muhammad is similar in format to her Buddha
(Holt, 1995). Born into a powerful and influential Meccan tribe
in the year A.D. 570, Muhammad was nursed for five years by a
desert woman who recognized his "inner beauty and greatness."
Between the ages of 40 and 63, he had many visions that revealed
to him the words that became the Koran and the Five Pillars of
Islam. Although he quickly gained many followers, his attempts to
convert the idol-worshipping Meccans to monotheism annoyed the
Quraysh tribal leaders, forcing the Muslims into
confrontations. Ultimately, he was able to unite the feuding Arab
tribes into the Ummah brotherhood. Demi states that he granted
religious tolerance to Christians and Jews, but forced them to
pay a "tribute" to the Islamic government. Also, problematic
generalized statements, such as "-Muhammad taught God's words
that said that all men and women, black and white, rich and poor,
must be treated with dignity and respect," are presented as fact.
No mention is made of the disparaging references in the Koran to
Jews and Christians, who are termed "disbelievers," or that
Muslims are admonished not to take them as friends. Demi's
carefully designed paint-and-ink illustrations, with their tiny
detailed people in brightly colored costumes and Islamic
architecture and symbols, are done in the style of the Persian
miniature. Because Islamic tradition forbids the creation of
graven images, Muhammad is depicted as a golden silhouette; his
printed name is followed in the text by the Arabic symbol for
benediction. Quotes from the Koran appear throughout, and a
one-page bibliography includes text and art references. Elsa
Marston's Muhammad of Mecca: Prophet of Islam (Watts, 2001) is a
more thorough, unbiased introduction to Muhammad and Islam.
Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Gr. 4-7, younger for reading aloud. More than any other
children's book available, this biography of the prophet Muhammad
reflects the literary and artistic traditions of the Islamic
world. Like most Arab texts, it begins with the words, "In the
name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate," and an
Arabic honorific always follows Muhammad's name. The readily
understandable narrative tells the stories of Muhammad's life as
Muslim children hear them, beginning with his birth in Mecca and
ending with the declaration that although Muhammad has died, God
never will. In keeping with Islamic artistic tradition, the
paintings do not portray the face or body of the Prophet; instead
they show his silhouette in gold leaf. Using the ancient Persian
miniature style, Demi ignores scale and paints primarily in two
dimensions (so that, for instance, worshippers do not appear to
be kneeling on a rug so much as superimposed on it). With
dramatic scenes extending past the borders of the intricately
patterned frames, the art will be a continual source of interest
for young people. Demi weaves together selections from the Qur'an
and an overview of Islam in this excellent retelling of the
Prophet's life that combines beauty and scholarship. John Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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