This book is a great crossover between a picture book and a chapter book-- although it is physically laid-out like a picture book and includes photos on every page, there is a lot of text, too. The book shares the story of a Muslim family who moves to America from the Middle East, and the struggles and triumphs they experience along the way. The book shares a lot of facts, but it also gives personal stories about the family that help the reader relate to the different people within the book.

INFORMATIONAL: The book is about the true experiences of real people. Although the book is an informational book about immigration to the US and the Muslim faith, it is also a biography of a real family. The purpose of this book is to show the reader what it is really like to be immigrants to the United States, and it does so through true stories, facts, and photographs.
USE: This book would be a great source to use to teach children about the Muslim faith, since the practices and the beliefs of Islam are described throughout the book. This text could also be used to start a discussion about immigrants today-- what they go through, what life is like for them, and what the reality of being a foreigner in the US looks like.
MEDIA: Photographs

In my opinion, this is an interesting and different type of book. I liked it because it was very informative information regarding a Muslim family, something I know very little about. I enjoyed how the author chose a particular family to focus in on and share what each member of that family, while still giving generic information, does. I like how the illustrations are actual photographs of the family, which makes it more personal. I was able to have a better understanding about Muslim practices and the struggles of what it is like to be an English Language Learner as an adult. The big message of this book is the importance of family especially in times of struggle. The members of this family stuck together during the difficult journey to America from their native land. The family worked as a team as they gained all these new experiences in the United States. ( )

This story differs from the majority of the stories I have read lately. It is nonfiction and includes interesting aspects that captivated me as a reader. First off, the author chose to use real photography of the family instead of drawings. These images make you feel as if you were really there with this family, sitting in their living room listening to their stories. It makes you feel more connected to the family. Then the story was told with vivid details. Each family member was described in detail. What they look like, what activities they do and their daily routines. Then they go into detail on what their Muslim practices are like, and how similar their family is to any other American family. This speaks to the author’s main idea that although someone has a different culture that does not mean that they differ from you. The author shows how they celebrate birthdays and love their grandmas just like we do. ( )

This book is about a family that is from Alexandria, Egypt, and moves to America for a better life. It goes through and shows the family's transition from living in Egypt to living in Queens, New York. It has amazing photographs of their lives at home, school, work, etc. I think that it is a great book for showing how family migrate to America and their life story.

I would use this with my students to have them relate to others who have also moved to America and how they have shared in a book their adaptations to a new place/country.