Back of Book:
Every Friday after Jummah prayer at the masjid, Musa’s family has a special Jummah treat. They take turns picking out what the treat will be, but recently the choices have been . . . interesting. Week one, Mama made molokhia. It’s perfect for sharing, but gives us molokhia teeth for days! Week two, Baba burned the kufte kebabs on the grill. Week three, Seedi made his favorite riz b’haleeb-creamy rice pudding with pistachio sprinkled on top with an unexpected ingredient. Last week, Maryam brought jellybeans. . . . Finally, it’s Musa’s turn to pick, and he picks his favorite-halal hot dogs! But actually getting to eat this deliciousness turns into a journey riddled with obstacles. Will he ever get his favorite tasty treat?
My Review:
I won a copy of this picture book from Kidlit 411 and author Susannah Aziz.
Halal Hot Dogs by Susannah Aziz is an engaging story about family, community, and food. Musa is a little boy excited that it’s finally his turn to pick the post-jummah treat for the family! After interesting choices by the rest of the family members, he knows what he wants- halal hotdogs from a street vendor across the Masjid. After sitting patiently with a grumbling stomach during the Khutbah, Musa is finally able to get in line for his favorite treat. The problem is, that everyone else has the same idea. Musa sees many friends and members of his community all buying halal hotdogs. When a food mixup occurs, Musa and his family take the opportunity to go back out and find a different place to buy the halal hotdogs. The illustrations by Parwinder Singh are colorful and include intricately woven cultural details on each page. The back of the book includes a glossary of Alberic words as well as a note from the author about her family’s love of halal hotdogs. This is a wonderful story that should be in all school and home libraries.
Ages 5 and up
40 Pages
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