“This is the best book that I have read. It is a great book with a hint of imagination. It shows the power of the Quran, and all the creatures Allah has created are always praising and glorifying Him.” – Amara Aboobaker, 11 Years old, Leicester, England, May 2022
“Well-written and beautifully illustrated, Journey Beyond the Great Tree represents a new genre in Muslim children’s literature. Weaving together elements of fantasy, environmentalism, and spirituality, author Adnan Ashraf writes with the Muslim child in mind as he chooses a young Muslim girl, Safa, for his protagonist. On a mission to save her father’s orange juice business, Safa quickly transcends the confines of her suburban Florida neighborhood, challenging herself to climb the great tree that is the source of the family’s livelihood. While Safa’s journey elevates her physically and metaphorically as she meets a whimsical cast of characters and transcends the boundaries of heaven and earth, she manages to remain grounded throughout—she is conscientious about her prayer and themes of Qur’an and dhikr echo throughout. To write fantasy with a didactic element is not an easy feat, but Adnan Ashraf’s first novel is a solid attempt at filling in the gaps in literary offerings for the Muslim child.” – Ustadha Zaynab Ansari, Faculty, Tayseer Seminary, Knoxville, Tennessee
“I have read an advance proof of the children’s novel Journey Beyond the Great Tree by Adnan Ashraf. To the best of my judgment, its content is in accord with Muslim beliefs and ethics and it is a sound contribution towards fulfilling the need for Muslim children’s stories in the English language.” – Shaykh Qays Arthur, Muslim Sacred Sciences Instructor, Amman, Jordan
Journey Beyond the Great Tree, 2nd Edition, 336 pages. Text: Adnan Ashraf. Illustrations: Sanah Z. Shan. Calligraphy: Muhammad Elmarouk. Cover: Mukhtar Sanders. ePub ISBN: 9780986376153, Paperback ISBN: 9780986376177.
As Journey Beyond the Great Tree grew from a novella into a novel between 2014 and 2020, it developed some aspects and features that are not common in children’s English language fiction, making it a read to remember: – 13 of Allah’s beautiful names can be found inscribed in Arabic, hidden in beautiful full-page chapter illustrations intended to give readers moments in the narrative to pause and reflect. – Chapter 19, A Ladybug’s Point of View, features a child-friendly dialogue through which young readers can arrive at a rational basis for believing in the existence of God (considered by scholars to be the first obligation). Help your kid(s) fulfill the first obligation while they read a story.
– The story’s theme of healing (with regard to the citrus-greening bacteria that have afflicted Florida’s orange groves) and its celebration of ethnic diversity can be related to events that characterize our times like the novel coronavirus pandemic and the urgent social rewriting of race relations in light of systemic racial profiling and injustice (in the United States of America, for example). – The characters of the novel model for young readers an empathetic form of respectful dialogue with interlocutors who are culturally or ethnically different; difference is acknowledged and appreciated. – The text models standard English grammar: If you find one sentence or phrase that is unintentionally grammatically incorrect, let us know: editors@zaynabbooks.com.
– The narrative features vocabulary suitable for readers age 8 and up and introduces select words of interest to growing Muslim readers. Traditional Islamic lessons are woven playfully into the story to help readers recognize the harms of backbiting, showing off, and other wrong actions. The book fosters love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It demonstrates respect for traditional scholars of sacred knowledge. It fosters love for lessons from the Quran pertaining to the relationship between children and parents.
