Meet 13 remarkable women who shaped 1,400 years of world history — queens and warriors, scholars and poets, pilots and painters, revolutionaries and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Winner of the Middle East Book Award, the Moonbeam Children's Books Peacemaker Award, the USA Book News "Best Book" Award, and the Skipping Stones Honor Award, this beautifully illustrated biography introduces young readers to thirteen women — from 7th-century Arabia to modern Iran — whose courage, intellect, artistry, and faith left a lasting mark on the world.
Every page features original paintings by Heba Y. Amin, an Egyptian artist whose work has been exhibited internationally. Paired with elegant Arabic calligraphy, her richly detailed illustrations transform each biography into a work of art families treasure for years.
Inside, you'll meet:
- The first believers — Khadija bint Khuwaylid, the successful merchant who became the Prophet Muhammad's first wife, and Aisha bint Abi Bakr, one of Islam's greatest early scholars
- Queens and rulers — Arwa of Yemen and Sultan Razia, the Warrior Queen of Delhi
- Poets, scholars, and mystics — Al-Khansa of Arabia, Rabi'a al-Adawiyya of Iraq, and Nana Asmau of Nigeria
- Revolutionaries and educators — Tjut Njak Dien, the guerrilla leader who fought Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, and Halide Edib Adivar, the Turkish feminist, novelist, and War of Independence heroine
- Artists and pioneers — Umm Kulthum, the legendary singer of Egypt; Chaibia Tallal, the internationally celebrated Moroccan painter; and Sabiha Gökçen, the world's first female combat pilot
- A Nobel Peace Prize laureate — Shirin Ebadi of Iran, who fought for women's rights and human rights
A meaningful gift for:
- Muslim families building a rich library of heritage, history, and inspiration
- Homeschool families and world history curricula
- Teachers and librarians seeking well-researched biographies and multicultural collections
- Children who love history books, true stories, and inspiring role models
- Families drawn to beautifully illustrated picture books as keepsake art
- Ramadan, Eid, birthdays, graduations, and school milestones
- Grandparents, aunts, and uncles looking for a lasting gift
Why this book belongs on every child's bookshelf:
History is richer — and far more interesting — when children learn about the full range of people who shaped it. Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World spans four continents and fourteen centuries, introducing young readers to thirteen women remembered for what they built, wrote, led, painted, sang, fought for, or stood against. Paired with Heba Y. Amin's luminous original paintings and delicate Arabic calligraphy, each biography becomes as beautiful to look at as it is to read.
An introduction to history, faith, art, and courage — told through the lives of thirteen women who mattered.
Award-winning illustrations. Ages 6+. 13 true biographies. A keepsake picture book for any family library.
