Best Children’s Book about Hajj: The Green Dinosaur Umbrella by Amina Banawan

Every year, in Dhul Hijjah, your child watches the pilgrims on TV—performing the rituals of hajj, wearing the ihram, coming together to worship Allah in the most sacred of places. But do they show curiosity and ask you questions? Or do they ask to change the channel so they can watch their favourite cartoon? This is where we might realize that teaching our children about hajj (or any other aspect of faith) requires patience, strategy, and creativity on our part. And using Islamic children’s books as a tool for that is one of the best ways to start.

Our children will not fall in love with hajj if we introduce it as a sequence of rituals to memorize. But they’ll probably become more curious about the sacred journey if they see another child having fun performing all the rituals. That’s exactly what a good children’s book about hajj should do—explain things in an age-appropriate way through characters and scenes relatable for young children. We have just the story, and it comes with a green dinosaur!

What Makes a Children’s Book about Hajj Worth Buying?

Young children are attracted to fun and feelings more than checklists. But that doesn’t mean a children’s book doesn’t teach any values. A good children’s book about hajj brings meaning to our leisure time by inspiring moral lessons through adventure and fun. It doesn’t just teach children facts about hajj. And it doesn't just entertain them. It does both, without sounding purely educational.  

It quietly makes them long to experience the rituals in real time.  It helps them feel emotionally connected to the takbirs, the sacred places of worship, the unique dress (ihram), and the humbling values of kindness, sacrifice, and brotherhood. When choosing a good children’s book to teach about hajj, ask yourself:  

• Does it present hajj as a spiritually meaningful journey rather than a robotic sequence of events?

• Is the Islamic content accurate, rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah?

• Does it have illustrations and colourful pages that attract young minds and spark imagination?

• Is this children’s book likely to lead to laughter, meaningful conversations, and questions?

If your answer to all four questions is yes, you’ve found the right one. The Green Dinosaur Umbrella by Amina Banawan answers yes to each one.

The Green Dinosaur Umbrella by Amina Banawan: The Best Children’s Book about Hajj

What is The Green Dinosaur Umbrella?

The Green Dinosaur Umbrella is an Islamic children’s book written by Amina Banawan. This unique hajj story is written for ages 4 and above, making it a perfect pick for preschool and the primary years, when children are most open to story-based learning. The Green Dinosaur Umbrella presents hajj as a meaningful journey of practicing kindness and sacrifice while performing the sacred rituals. With colourful illustrations and a Muslim child protagonist, the story perfectly captures the beauty of hajj for young minds—showing pilgrims coming together from different cultures across the globe and a green dinosaur umbrella as a symbol of kindness shown even to strangers.  

As the umbrella is passed from one person to another, each giving it to someone who needs it more in the hot sun of Makkah, children learn the importance of looking out for others and making connections through small acts of kindness. Amina Banawan has beautifully crafted this children’s book for Muslims, combining authentic Islamic knowledge with a genuine understanding of what captures a young child's imagination.

Why The Green Dinosaur Umbrella is a Unique Children’s Book for Muslim Kids

We all love stories with heroes going on journeys to far-off lands, making friends, and exploring new places. But a story that specifically captures the sacred journey of Muslim characters—showing people from different cultures across the globe coming together to obey their Creator, performing rituals that connect them to Ibrahim (AS) and his family, and extending kindness to strangers in the heat of Makkah—that's a story that lands differently. That's a story that connects children to their roots and cultivates pride in their identity.

Imagine if a well-told story could lead our child to long for a trip to Makkah? What more could we want as Muslim parents? Ensuring our shelves include Islamic children’s books like The Green Dinosaur Umbrella can make this a reality.

What The Green Dinosaur Umbrella Teaches about Hajj

The Green Dinosaur Umbrella is not just any children’s book. It doesn’t have the vibe of a course book teaching children facts about hajj. Instead, it is a deeply thoughtful children’s book about hajj, teaching the meaning and beauty of the fifth pillar of Islam rather than merely the steps of hajj.

Shows the Unity of the Muslim Ummah

One of the most prominent lessons of hajj is the equality of all human beings. Hajj is a practical demonstration of the Islamic teaching that there is no worldly measure for superiority of any race or colour, and that the only measure of greatness in the eyes of Allah is piety. People from every culture, every background, and every race come together dressed in the same white clothes, performing the same rituals side by side.  

The Green Dinosaur Umbrella perfectly captures this unity of the Muslim ummah through its vibrant illustrations showing characters of different ethnicities and ages. Children can see the diversity and beauty of the Muslim ummah as they flip through its pages.

Helps Children Develop a Connection with the Qur’an

The Green Dinosaur Umbrella also helps children develop a connection with the Qur’an as it gently weaves in the ayah that captures one of the core lessons of hajj in simple words: “O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware” (Surat al-Hujurat 49:13).

Incorporating the words of Allah within pages drawn appropriate for their age, The Green Dinosaur Umbrella helps children become curious about Allah’s direct words to mankind while having fun. It’s a great tool for tarbiyah, as it inculcates curiosity about the faith through stories instead of lectures. Introducing them to the meaning and understanding of this ayah is a step towards helping them understand the importance of the Qur’an as the source of all of our beliefs, rituals, and manners as Muslims.

Teaches Kindness and Sacrifice—The Core Values of Hajj

This Islamic children’s book also reinforces kindness and sacrifice as the core values of hajj, as pilgrims look out for each other and hand over the green dinosaur umbrella to others who need it more in the hot weather. It helps children see hajj beyond the rituals. They understand that caring for others and improving ourselves through this sacred journey is just as important as worshipping Allah during these blessed days. The Green Dinosaur Umbrella teaches children that hajj is not just a physical journey, but also a spiritual journey of growth through humility, kindness, and sacrifice.

Why Parents Love The Green Dinosaur Umbrella

It’s not just us. Parents who read this book together with their children also loved it. Here’s what one of them said:

“My kids love this book. A beautiful story of helping others and how what you put into the world will come back to you (if Allah wills).” - Somaiya Ali

Another reader told us they cried at the end of the story. This second review tells you everything. The best children's books touch emotions; they move you before they teach you. The Green Dinosaur Umbrella connects and resonates with lived experiences. When a child grows up reading stories about Islam that move them, they’ll carry that emotional connection with Islam into adulthood.  

How to Use This Islamic Children’s Book to Teach about Hajj

This children’s book about hajj is a great tool to nurture love of Allah and curiosity about the deen in your child’s heart. Here are some ways you can enrich your experience of learning about hajj even more with The Green Dinosaur Umbrella:

• Read it together in the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. Tell your children how reading an Islamic story about hajj with the intention of learning more about Allah’s religion could bring them rewards in Paradise. Make it a family tradition to read this book together every year when Dhul Hijjah begins.  

• Pair it with watching a livestream of hajj on TV and show them real-life versions of the illustrations in the book. When a familiar scene from the book appears on TV, pause and tell them excitedly: “See? That’s the Ka’bah, just like in the book.” Connecting real-life experiences to children's favourite story books is something that stays with them longer.  

• Ask them questions after reading, like “What did you love the most about this hajj story?” or “Which part of hajj would you most want to do?” Conversations like this essential parts of Islamic tarbiyah.

• Draw a map together to mark the sacred places in Makkah and Madinah that pilgrims visit during hajj. The book includes a map you can start with.  

Why Islamic Children’s Books about Hajj Matter (Especially in the West)

In a world where entertainment is dominated by superheroes, fairytales, and characters that have little connection to our Muslim children's identity, having Islamic children’s books on our shelves is one of the greatest blessings and one of the most intentional parenting choices we can make.  

It’s easy to find facts about hajj. A quick Google search will give you information and ideas to teach your children about the sacred journey. But none of that will connect the way a story written specifically for kids does. That’s where The Green Dinosaur Umbrella by Amina Banawan comes in. It is a great tool to help you inculcate the love of Islam in your child, and maybe your child will end up telling you, "Mama, I want to go to Hajj."

Muslim heroes that they see themselves in, Islamic values that they find familiar, and stories they can easily relate to—that’s what makes a good children’s book about hajj (or any other Islamic theme). And it is such stories that help children see their identity as something to celebrate and be proud of, not something different, distant, or better hidden.  

The Perfect Dhul Hijjah Gift for Your Child: Make it Meaningful and Fun with The Green Dinosaur Umbrella

If you’re looking to make this Dhul Hijjah meaningful for your child, The Green Dinosaur Umbrella by Amina Banawan is the perfect gift for them. This children’s book doesn’t just teach them about hajj, it makes them want to go!

Order before Dhul Hijjah begins so it arrives in time for the first ten days.

Get The Green Dinosaur Umbrella.

Frequently-Asked Questions

Q: Is there a good children's book about Hajj?

A: Yes, The Green Dinosaur Umbrella is one of the best hajj stories for Muslim children. Its engaging illustrations, relatable characters, and age-appropriate narrative are perfect to introduce children to the sacred rituals of hajj.  

Q: How do I explain hajj to a young child?

A: The best way to explain hajj to a young child is through a story. This includes telling them the story of Ibrahim and Hajar, which is reflected in the rituals of hajj that are performed until today. Islamic picture books and story books about hajj can also make learning about hajj a fun experience for children.

Q: At what age can children start learning about hajj?

A: Children can start learning about hajj as early as age 3 or 4. But learning at this stage should be focused on emotions and fun rather than detailed rules. Show them the beauty of hajj, the values it teaches, like brotherhood and sacrifice, and present hajj as a journey Muslims make to visit Allah’s house. The Green Dinosaur Umbrella for ages 4+ is an especially effective book for introducing kids to the concept of hajj in Islam.

Q: What does The Green Dinosaur Umbrella teach children about hajj?

A: The Green Dinosaur Umbrella introduces children to the hajj experience through relatable characters and engaging illustrations, sparking curiosity in young hearts and making them long for the sacred journey. It is a great tool to start conversations about hajj rather than simply narrating facts.

Q: Who wrote The Green Dinosaur Umbrella?  

A: The Green Dinosaur Umbrella is written by Amina Banawan, an Egyptian-American educator, writer, and resource creator passionate about nurturing a deep, lasting love for Islam in children’s hearts. She loves coming up with ideas for creating tools and stories for young Muslims.

Q: Are there hajj activities I can do with my children at home during Dhul Hijjah?

A: Yes, reading a hajj story together is one of the most meaningful Dhul Hijjah activities for children at home. Additionally, you can watch the hajj live, draw a map of the sacred places pilgrims visit during hajj, make dua together for the pilgrims, and fast on the Day of ‘Arafah as a family.