Dear Educator friends,

We want to suggest an excellent resource for your classrooms and libraries from Sumbul Ali-Karamali, a good friend of ING. Her second book Growing Up Muslim is an academically-reliable introduction to Islam for ages 10 and up that explains the beliefs and practices of the religion clearly but not simplistically. Sumbul, a former corporate lawyer with a graduate degree in Islamic law, engagingly and often humorously sets out various interpretations of Muslim beliefs and practices in an easily understandable, everyday context, including stories, anecdotes, recipes, and charts. Though perfect for preteens and teens, this book is appropriate for anyone of any age who wishes to learn about Muslims and how they practice their religion.

Growing Up Muslim is available on Amazon and from your local bookseller. For bulk sales, please contact Penguin Random House at 1-800-800-3246 or [email protected]

Here’s some praise for the book from the School Library Journal, the world’s largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens:

“Ali-Karamali’s primer offers an informal, highly personal introduction to Islam. Chronicling her experience growing up Muslim in California, she comfortably discusses major aspects of the faith such as prayer, fasting, and theology as well as food, fashion, and relationships, while connecting these topics to her daily life. The relaxed presentation makes the information more interesting and accessible to readers who would otherwise find it difficult to follow. The writing flows smoothly as if in conversation, making it understandable and appealing. However, the informality does not detract from the accuracy. A few diagrams and a select, scholarly list for further reading are included. This unique introduction is a good choice for dispelling misconceptions and prejudice about this faith, and will appeal to readers of human-interest stories.”

We hope that you’ll explore this text for your use. For those looking for more books like this, check out the INGYouth Program’s Book List, which contains dozens more!