Islam

Publishers Weekly

DK's Eyewitness series expands to take in Islam by Philip Wilkinson. The photo-heavy spreads focus on topics as primary as the Prophet Muhammad and as specific as arms and armor. Contemporary sections stress that Islam promotes tolerance between Muslims and non-Muslims and that Muslim women can be found in high-profile professions. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

"See...Learn...Discover" is the motto of Dorling Kindersley's "Eyewitness Books" and "seeing" is definitely the exciting and critical element for this book. The beauty of Islamic art and architecture, the diversity of the faithful, the breadth of Islamic accomplishments and contributions through history, the impact of faith on culture and tradition—there is a picture for every idea. Information is presented in short, labeled paragraphs, from the five pillars of Islam to the stages of prayer, astronomy and medicine, the crusades, arms and armor, Islamic society, festivals and ceremonies. An expert in the field served as a consultant to verify information and there is a brief but excellent index. The variety of topics and quality of illustrations (from history and food to cosmetics to swords) make this a perfect book for classroom or library browsing by all types of students. It is a great leap forward in the effort to educate Americans of all ages about this rapidly growing faith. 2002, Dorling Kindersley,
— Karen Leggett

School Library Journal

Gr 3-8-An introduction to the basic tenets of the faith, the history of its spread, the varieties of the cultures in which it flourishes, and highlights of the achievements of Islamic peoples. The series's standard format is expanded somewhat with a number of chapters totaling more than two pages, notably the six pages devoted to the "Five Pillars of Islam." This expansion allows for a more in-depth look than usual, providing space, for example, for the five stages of prayer to be both itemized and displayed photographically. The history of Islam covers not only the usual period of conquest but also the importance of Muslim scholarship during the European Middle Ages, Islamic architecture, the breadth of its trade, and various ruling empires. Other chapters look at clothing, food, music, and art; all are profusely illustrated with captioned photos of sites and artifacts and reproductions. As a general introduction, the text avoids contemporary, controversial issues such as extremist groups or the lack of democratic institutions in many predominantly Muslim nations. Even so, Islam is broader in scope than Julien Ries's The World of Islam (Chelsea, 2002) and Shahrukh Hussein's What Do We Know about Islam? (Peter Bedrick, 1996).-Coop Renner, Blackshear Elementary School, Austin, TX Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.