Eyewitness: Islam (Eyewitness Books)

Stone, Caroline

ISBN 10: 078948871X ISBN 13: 9780789488718

Publisher: DK Children, 2002

Synopsis

Discover the faith, culture, and history that has shaped the modern Islamic world. Explore the traditions, culture, and history of Islam with this stunning in-depth look at the complex world of one of the world's greatest religions. Artifacts, sacred objects and modern-day photographs combine to provide the dramatic level of detail for which the Eyewitness series is known.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 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 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-8. This title in the Eyewitness Books series offers a brief, excellent introduction to the history and founding beliefs of Islam, as well as an international view of Islam today. The format follows the publisher's familiar balance of white space, sharp illustrations, and succinct, informative text captions. Beginning spreads cover the world of Ancient Arabia and the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Subsequent pages introduce the Qur'an and the Five Pillars of Islam; the structure of a typical mosque; the differences between Shi'i and Sunni Muslims; an overview of the spread of Islam; and finally spotlights on Islamic culture as practiced around the world. The text, suitable for a range of ages, is clear and fascinating. Visuals include crisp photographs of beautiful artifacts, paintings, and architecture; contemporary and archival maps; a cross-section of a mosque; and a wide selection of photos that show the range in customs in contemporary Islam. Useful for browsing or report research, this attractive title will also offer fine support to discussions of 9/11. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: DK Children
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 078948871X
• ISBN 13: 9780789488718
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64