Learning About Muslim Culture

It’s up to us. We have a choice. We can raise our kids up to be better and know more and treat everyone as worthy of love… Or let them have stereotypes and unwarranted fears? . . I feel like so many of us post-9/11 Americans have an automatic gut reaction of negative toward those words. True? . Yes, we should teach our kids and ourselves the news. Know the ugliness. But… make sure they understand the full picture. . . I remember my mom making the passing comment when I was in high school that it was hard for her to see a Vietnamese name and not automatically think negative. She linked it all with the Vietnam War. Makes sense. Doesn’t mean we accept it. I can see the same thing happening with my generation and the Middle East, and the potential for this fear to be passed down to the kids. Just. Don’t. . . I refuse to let the kids hear the word “Muslim” and automatically think “terrorist”. Or “Afghanistan” and “bad guys”. . Start with this book. Then the next. Teach them the whole, the words, the story - that doesn’t mean you’re converting them to Islam just like learning about Yom Kippur doesn’t means you’re becoming Jewish. . . We can’t talk wisely about that which we don’t know. Even though this book looks like it might be geared for younger kids, it works. I needed to lay the foundation and to learn the terms to start the learning. To change the narrative. There’s even a glossary in the back! . Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Color By Hena Khan @henakhanbooks Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini Published by Chronicle Books @chroniclekidsbooks . . I’m have an order of similar books waiting at the library. I know I’m not the only one given the current world news. I’d love a list of beautiful picture books you’ve read about Muslim culture and people. Give me some suggestions. Let’s choose to be better.