We are in the thick of winter, my least favourite season of the year! Being a parent of an outdoorsy child that's mostly stuck indoors means lots of unrelenting chattiness, complaints of boredom, and an overall grumpy mood. But I’m lucky that we both love books.

Books are a gateway to other lands, and even other worlds. With a bit of imagination, travel is budget friendly, or even free with a good book in hand.

Here are my top tips on making the best of winter reading:

1. Get cozy! Build a reading fort made of fluffy blankets, big pillows, heated blankets, and fuzzy socks. (Be careful not to fall asleep!)

2. Make sure you have a BIG stack of books. Old favourites and fresh reads.

3. A Warm drink of course! Grab some hot chocolate, (or tea and coffee for the adults).

4. A snack is a must. My favourite reading snacks are popcorn, raisins, nuts, or pretzels. Use your imagination!

5. Have a book club with your kids! Give your kids a chance to “hold the mic” and chat about the books they're reading. What are their favourites? What do they like about the characters? What was the silliest thing that happened in the story?

If you are looking to stock your bookshelf with books that inspire Islamic concepts or build up little Muslims’ confidence, check out our selection here. Our books are written with Muslim children in mind. All our books have Muslim protagonists and many deal with Muslim concepts for guiding little minds.

Happy reading!