Asmaa Hussein over at Ruqaya’s Bookshelf has put out two new books, and this gem of a book is one of them. Mr. Gamal’s class is angry, about lots of little things getting out at dodge ball, the wrong color grapes, having to wait their turn, and it is making for restless, grumpy students. On a trip to the dollar store, the teacher is struck by inspiration when he sees some oversized pink lensed glasses. With a pair for each student, the kids have a week to try out there “gratitude glasses” and report back on their success.
In 36 pages readers ages 5-8 will get to know some of the stresses felt by kids they can relate to, and ways to find “good things, even in tough situations.” They will also learn that the real secret isn’t the glasses, but their own brains discovering “new ways to think about stuff!”
While the kids learn a lesson, Mr. Gamal does too, and so do the readers, alhumdulillah.
The book would be great fun to read in a group accompanied by glasses to hand out and test Mr. Gamal’s idea with. I also think it is great to have on the bookshelf to remind kids that they need to find the positive and break out of their slump.
The kids all have “islamic” names and a few wear hijab (some do not), but there is nothing religious in the book. It would work well in any environment and does a good job of showing diverse characters. The pictures are adequate, I don’t love them, but they compliment the story and set the tone fairly well. The book is a great size for story time (8.5 x 11) and with a thick cover and shiny pages, should hold up to repetitive use.
Islamic School Librarian 