Ahmad Deen and the Jinn at Shaolin
Author: Yahiya Emerick
Grade Level: 5-7
Subject: Adventure
Rating: 5 stars. This book also won the MHSNR "5 star Wow Award"
The second adventure in the Deen family series focuses on the older sibling: Ahmad. He has taken the opportunity to go on a class trip to study the culture of China. Aside from having to put up with his quirky room mate, Stickman, Ahmad has more important things to worry about, as you will see.
This book is great because it works on two levels. It introduces the reader to the Chinese Muslim culture by introducing the fact that Islam joins its brethren on the level of faith not the boundaries of a country. Moreover, children are able to learn little lessons on tayyamum and even a short Surah.
It is this subtle integration that enhances the message of this book. Islam is a way of life. The readers are not beaten over the head with adolescent behavior that seems unrealistic in other books. The life of a normal teenager, who happens to be Muslim, is presented in a very straight forward manner. The idea of dealing with an annoying classmate is presented in a manner where one hundred hadith are not thrown at the reader from out of no where.
It is because of this ease of teen accessibility that this book receives a solid 5 stars.
This book is currently being taught as part of the reading syllabus in dozens of Islamic schools.
ORDER THIS BOOK FROM: Astrolabe
