(2) K-3 Translated by Konstantine Matsoukas. Illustrated by Fotiniu Tikkou. This picture book invites readers to practice compassion by trying on others' shoes -- both literally and figuratively. On her walk home from school in her Paris suburb, Matou passes a mosque and sees "a sea of shoes" in front of the building (it is customary to take off your shoes before entering the prayer area of a mosque). A pair of pristine white sneakers stands out, and Matou can't help herself -- she tries them on. She continues trying on shoes, and when their owners claim their footwear, Matou notices that each pair reveals something about the person who wears it. The pristine sneakers' wearer forgoes walking home for a ride in a shiny car, suggesting wealth. A girl with worn, stretched-out ballet flats rubs her shoes together while waiting for her parents -- she's unhappy. Matou is miffed when her mother cancels a shopping date because she has to work late, but when she tries on Mom's shoes, she is able to see her perspective. The illustrations mix sepia-toned backgrounds with pops of color. Hand-drawn scenes in colored pencil are combined with photos, adding texture and variety to the illustrations. This endearing story about understanding others is an excellent read-aloud that is likely to spark activities, conversations, and possibly some exchanges of footwear.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(3) PS Illustrated by Hatem Aly. "As-salaamu Alaykum!" Young readers are welcomed to a mosque brimming with faithful family, friends, and community. A child narrator tells us about the people, sights, and sounds encountered in their mosque; engaging digital illustrations incorporate scans of ink washes, textures, and patterns that add culturally meaningful detail to the colorful scenes. Both text and art convey some tenets of Islam and emphasize the mosque's role as a place for faith and celebration. An author's note provides some more information; an annotated list of historic mosques around the world might inspire further research. A glossary and source list are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Strong, clear writing energizes this account of Paris's Grand Mosque serving as sanctuary for Jews fleeing the Nazis. Exquisite oil-paint illustrations display both the beauty of Paris and the stately elegance of the mosque, in addition to the danger faced by Jews and Muslim resistance fighters alike. An afterword gives more details about the historical events. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(2) 4-6 Bringing his usual precise observation and clarity of description, Macaulay focuses on the architecture and engineering of a fictional 1595 "charitable foundation": a large mosque plus a religious college, a soup kitchen, public baths, and a tomb. The mosque itself, with its elaborate buttressing system of arches and half domes, its variety of materials, and its richly ornamented interior, will fascinate budding engineers and art historians.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2003