Zain's Super Friday

Review
By Booklist

Little Zain may be small in stature, but he has an oversize imagination and heaps of energy. In his mind, he is a cape-wearing superhero, impatient to save the world, so he is in for a lesson in patience when, one Friday, he must wait and complete an important ritual before his dad will indulge his games. Jumu'ah prayers are a revered practice among observant Muslims. At the mosque, men and boys come together to pray and hear the wisdom of the Imam who leads it. Readers are invited along as Zain and his father perform the preparatory rituals and join the others for what can be, to a youngster, an inordinately long time. All the while, Zain's imagination leaps around, and he learns to resist acting on his impulses and to follow along. Colorful illustrations mirror the plot and provide culturally specific visual details. A sweet affirmation of an enthusiastic kid's effort to learn patience while immersed in an important religious practice.