Muhammad: The Story of a Prophet and Reformer
There aren’t many books about Muhammad’s life written for youth. Conover (Ayat Jamilah, 2004) has taken on the task, beginning with the prophet’s childhood adoption by Bedouins and ending with his arrival in Medina. Along the way, the author details Muhammad’s education, his first marriage, the revelation of the Qur’an, and the anger he faced from his community. Throughout, Conover cultivates a strong sense of place with colorful descriptions of the desert setting, and she draws the events, characters, and some dialogue from established biographies of Muhammad, hadith, and the Qur’an. Because of the strong ties to ancient texts, the language is best suited to strong readers and will probably have more resonance for students already familiar with Muhammad’s origin. Conover’s sensitive, respectful approach is carefully researched, though, and her emphasis on Muhammad’s peaceful, wise nature adds nuance to the all-too-common myopic perceptions of Islam in contemporary culture. Though students will likely need a lot of help with this one, it opens the door to a more nuanced understanding of Muhammad and Islam. Grades 8-11. --Sarah Hunter