Trains & Trainers by Sarah Musa and Rania Hasan - OPTIONAL

Trains & Trainers by Sarah Musa illustrated by Rania Hasan. PICTURE BOOK. Kube Publishing, Ltd, 2024. $11. 9780860379034 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Malik and his older brother Badr enjoy many of the same things, but squabble and clash like siblings do. Badr has autism and Malik sometimes considers that a struggle and challenge for their family, and even says some regretful things about Badr. Mama helps the boys work through their differences and emotions, and ultimately Malik is reminded of what a blessing his brother is. 

This may be a relatable story for families or classrooms with differently abled members. It shows reasonable emotion and reaction to Badr's behaviors, and shows a parent guiding her children through the emotion and challenges. There are 10 discussion questions at the end of the book that could be helpful in talking with children about the story and about autism in general, although several are yes/no questions and don't really encourage much dialogue. This book was published by The Islamic Foundation and includes both illustration and text referencing some aspects of Islam.

Reviewer: Angie Campbell - EL Librarian