Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
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Hold Them Close
With stunning collages by debut illustrator Patrick Dougher, Hold Them Close is a moving celebration of Black children. Children will see, that if they look to their glorious past, embrace their present feelings, and reach for a bright future, there is much to hold close and light up the world.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780063036178
Pre-order from HarperCollins
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780063036178
Pre-order from HarperCollins
Abdul's Story
A little boy who loves storytelling but struggles with writing learns that it's okay to make mistakes in this charming and encouraging picture book from the author of Mommy's Khimar.
Abdul loves to tell stories. But writing them down is hard. His letters refuse to stay straight and face the right way. And despite all his attempts, his papers often wind up with more eraser smudges than actual words. Abdul decides his stories just aren't meant to be written down...until a special visitor comes to class and shows Abdul that even the best writers--and superheroes--make mistakes.
Publisher: Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 29, 2022
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781534462984
Buy on Bookshop
A little boy who loves storytelling but struggles with writing learns that it's okay to make mistakes in this charming and encouraging picture book from the author of Mommy's Khimar.
Abdul loves to tell stories. But writing them down is hard. His letters refuse to stay straight and face the right way. And despite all his attempts, his papers often wind up with more eraser smudges than actual words. Abdul decides his stories just aren't meant to be written down...until a special visitor comes to class and shows Abdul that even the best writers--and superheroes--make mistakes.
Publisher: Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 29, 2022
Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781534462984
Buy on Bookshop
Your Name Is A Song
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Saddened by her classmates’ and teacher’s mispronunciations of her name, a girl is empowered by her discovery that names are like songs when she and her mom celebrate the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names. Illustrated by Luisa Uribe. Published by The Innovation Press.
Read more about it in my interview with John Schu here: YNIAS Cover Reveal STARRED REVIEW: “This lovely celebration of African American culture, featuring a Muslim family, offers a fresh way to look at the tradition of creating new names. . . A delightful celebration.” — Kirkus Reviews Publisher: Innovation Press Publication Date: July 7, 2020 Type: Hardcover ISBN: 9781943147724 Buy on Bookshop |
Once Upon An Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices
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This anthology of middle grades stories about Muslim holidays will arrive May 2020! My short story “Perfect” and poem “Eid Pictures” are included. Read an excerpt of my short story in the article from Bustle Magazine: Once Upon An Eid: A Joyful Collection.
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams Publication Date: May 5, 2020 Type: Hardcover ISBN: 9781419740831 Buy on Bookshop |
Mommy's Khimar
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From Simon & Schuster:
“A khimar is a flowing scarf that my mommy wears. Before she walks out the door each day, she wraps one around her head.” A young girl plays dress up with her mother’s headscarves, feeling her mother’s love with every one she tries on. Charming and vibrant illustrations showcase the beauty of the diverse and welcoming community in this portrait of a young Muslim American girl’s life. “At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother….The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t. With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group.” –Kirkus Reviews – starred review, February 15, 2018 Publisher: Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for You Publication Date: April 3, 2018 Type: Hardcover ISBN: 9781534400597 Buy on Bookshop |
About Jamilah
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, M.S.Ed, is a Philadelphia-based, award-winning children’s book author. A former English teacher, she educated children and teens in traditional and alternative learning settings for more than 15 years. As an inaugural AMAL fellow with the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC), she developed foundational curricular frameworks for youth and adult anti-racist programming. Her picture books and middle grade fiction, which feature young Black and Muslim protagonists, have been recognized as the best in children’s literature by Time Magazine, Read Across America, and NPR. These works include Mommy’s Khimar and Irma Black Award Honor Book, Your Name is a Song. Her upcoming books include Abdul’s Story and Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children. In addition to producing children’s literature, she invests her time in mentorship of aspiring children’s book authors through multiple programs including We Need Diverse Books: Black Creatives Fund and the Muslim Storytellers Fellowship of the Highlights Foundation where she is also a committee member.
You can learn more about Jamilah at http://jamilahthewriter.com.
You can learn more about Jamilah at http://jamilahthewriter.com.
