A glossary of the Hassaniya words (an oral dialect of Arabic) that are sprinkled through the text is included.

Written in lovely, poetic language, Deep in the Sahara provides a glimpse into village life as well. Cunnane does a wonderful job explaining this. I appreciate the desire of young Lalla to emulate the women she admires in her village, and I think Ms. It also helps answer the question of why women wear clothing that partially or totally covers their hair and/or faces. Learn more about Islamic dress (note: this is geared towards adults or older kids)ĭeep in the Sahara is a lovely, non-didactic introduction to Islamic practices in a part of the world Americans typically know little about.Discover the Sahara Desert and the oasis villages within it.You want a malafa so you can be beautiful too.īrief Synopsis: A young Muslim girl dreams of wearing the malafa garment worn by the women in her Mauritanian village. In a pale pink house the shape of a tall cake, Rippled dunes slide and scorpions scuttle. Themes/Topics: Islam clothing Mauritania family growing up Saharaĭeep in the Sahara, sky yellow with heat, Publisher/date: Schwartz & Wade Books (Random House)/2013

Without further ado, today’s Perfect Picture Book: It also appears on a helpful list of children’s books, Refugees Welcome Here, published recently by Horn Book. My local library is displaying books about Islam in the wake of the recent immigration ban.

Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane