Drumroll, please!

The arrival of new books, fresh off the press, is hands-down the most rewarding (and most exciting!) part of publishing books for Muslim children.

Each book is a labour of love, and the result of months (or years!) of hard work, dedication, and collaboration on the part of authors, editors, and illustrators.

So it’s with great pleasure that we announce five new arrivals at Ruqaya’s Bookshelf! These latest additions to our growing collection of Muslim children’s books are now available for pre-order.

Three of these new arrivals are picture books, and two are middle-grade novels, so there’s something to love for readers of all ages. Take a look below for a description of each title:

Amar’s Fajr Reward by Amira Hoxha is an exciting story about a Muslim child learning to love prayer in the masjid.

Amar is not very eager to pray fajr at the masjid with his grandfather. It's cold outside, and he's so sleepy! He would much rather pray at home and jump back into his cozy bed.

His early morning trip to the masjid is turned upside down when his grandfather twists his ankle jumping over the courtyard wall! Can Amar help Gjyshi? And will he discover the value of prayer at the masjid?

Ayeyo’s Blues by Degmo Gedi is a beautiful story about a Muslim child's tenacity and about upholding family ties.

Fatimah is excited that her grandmother is coming to live with them! She loves hearing all of Ayeyo's colourful tales. But as time passes, Ayeyo's stories become shorter and shorter, until they stop completely. It's as if someone has stolen all of Ayeyo's colours and left her with only one: the deepest and darkest blue.

Can Fatimah help Ayeyo chase away her blues and bring back her colours?

If the Sea Was Ink by Sonia Saada is a moving depiction of a Muslim child's journey from war to safety, told in verse.

When Amina's home is no longer safe, her mum has to make the difficult choice to leave their home and loved ones behind. Follow the two of them as they embark on a dangerous voyage across the sea, and the journey of a lifetime in search of safety and security.

Pushed to the Back by Sumayyah Hussein is a big, chaotic family adventure that will make you laugh out loud.

Dad has been offered a job in Chicago, but Salma and her siblings don’t want to move! Now the whole family is off on a road trip to give the hated city a try.

But this is no ordinary road trip, where the biggest challenges are seat wars, nighttime driving, and excessive eating. On top of all that, her older brother Adam is bent on sabotaging Dad’s plan to move to Chicago.

Will Salma buy in to his scheme? A companion book to Stuck in the Middle.

The Last Resort by Sumayyah Hussein is a story full of intrigue that brings a Muslim family together to solve a mystery!

Mahmoud's family never seems to have time for him, and his first summer in Edmonton gets off to a lonely start. Then his best friend goes off on a family vacation, and Mahmoud can't take it anymore!

He decides that a family getaway is the only way to bring his family back together. But everyone else is too busy, so he plans the whole thing himself and books a hotel room on a shady-looking website.

When they finally arrive at the run-down hotel, Mahmoud realizes this will be no ordinary vacation!

What are you waiting for? Check out our bookshelf today for these titles and more! (Pre-orders will ship by March 10, 2025, inshaAllah.)