Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This lyrical account of the life of Fatima al-Fihri (c. 800--880 CE) surveys the eventual fulfillment of one woman's childhood dream to bolster her community by building a school. (It would eventually become the University of al-Qarawiyyin, "the oldest existing and continually operating university in the world," per back matter.) Employing subtle refrains, such as "She stood tall, determined, and strong,/ carrying her wish inside her," Yuksel makes clear how al-Fihri's dream influenced her goals throughout her life, and how her beliefs gave her the strength to pursue it despite personal tragedy, including her family's flight from Tunisia to Morocco, where many sought refuge. In reds, tans, and greens, gouache and watercolor art by Quraishi employs finely rendered details, including patterned clothing and architecture. Advocating for persistence and education, this picture book adroitly demonstrates how al-Fihri's Muslim faith inspired her community care. Back matter includes an author's note. Ages 4--8. (Feb.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In a text rich with imagery, Yuksel (In My Mosque) tells the true story of Fatima al-Fihri, whose one wish was to build a school for all. But how? As a girl in early-ninth-century Tunisia who was tutored at home, Fatima did not know how to actualize such a grandiose vision. Then her family was forced to flee Tunisia due to war; they resettled as refugees in Fez, Morocco, where she eventually married. Upon the deaths of her father and husband, she decided to use her substantial inheritance to realize her dream and establish a school. After much planning, the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque (which, per the appended note, "functioned as a school from its inception" and is now the University of al-Qarawiyyin) opened, a place where all students, "especially the poor and the refugees, could live and study for free." Watercolor and gouache illustrations contrast bright colors with sandy tones of the landscape while revealing the school's distinctive architectural style, replete with spacious courtyards and arches adorned with mosaics. The illustrations develop their own visual language: Fatima's yellow dress and blue scarf are consistent through the book as she matures; future students don clothes that repeat the same patterns, linking past with present. Ample back matter includes a glossary; more information about al-Qarawiyyin, the oldest existing and continuously operating university in the world; and an author's note separating speculation from fact. A welcome story that emphasizes the intellectual foundations of Islamic North Africa and the importance of charitable work that plants seeds for subsequent generations. Julie Hakim Azzam March/April 2022 p.(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Born in present-day Tunisia in the early ninth century, Fatima al-Fihri craved knowledge and had one wish--to build a school where all would be welcome. The story begins with Fatima's early life and education. Her first word was iqra (read), and as a child, she was filled with curiosity about the world. At the time, girls from families of means were home-schooled while boys attended formal learning institutions. Fatima's family had to flee their home due to war. During this difficult time, Fatima "stood tall, determined, and strong, / cradling her wish inside her," a refrain used throughout the text to underscore her perseverance. As she grew older, Fatima got married, became a wealthy merchant, and lost loved ones, but she never stopped thinking about her wish. She "knew the best way to help her community was to build a school where students, especially the poor and the refugees, could live and study for free." With the inheritance she gained after her father's death, she began the taxing process of building and establishing the University of al-Qarawiyyin, which today remains the world's oldest continually operating university. Several textual details reveal the important role Fatima's Muslim faith played in her life, and Yuksel frequently employs figurative language to emphasize her strong convictions about education and equality. Quraishi's transporting gouache-and-watercolor illustrations furnish a nuanced portrayal of the early medieval Arab world. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An inspiring profile of a tenacious trailblazer that highlights the power of knowledge. (author's note, notes, bibliography, glossary, timeline) (Picture book biography. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
