Journey of the Midnight Sun - by Shazia Afzal (Hardcover)

About the Book

A beautiful picture book based on the true story of the Midnight Sun Mosque that traveled 4,000 kilometers across Canada to become one of the most northern mosques in the world.

Book Synopsis

This is the true story of the journey of the Midnight Sun Mosque.

In 2010 a Winnipeg-based charity raised funds to build and ship a mosque to Inuvik, one of the most northern towns in Canada's Arctic. A small but growing Muslim community there had been using a cramped trailer for their services, but there just wasn't enough space. The mosque travelled over 4,000 kilometers on a journey fraught with poor weather, incomplete bridges, narrow roads, low traffic wires and a deadline to get on the last barge heading up the Mackenzie River before the first winter freeze. But it made it just in time and is now one of the most northern mosques in the world.

This beautiful picture book reminds us that the collective dream of fostering a multicultural and tolerant Canada exists and that people of all backgrounds will come together to build bridges and overcome obstacles for the greater good of their neighbors.

Review Quotes

"Reading and learning about the great lengths that one community went to in order to support another demonstrates how stories connect us to ourselves, our families, and our communities and how we share our world in the context of English Language Arts for kindergarten to grade two."

-- "BC Books for Schools"

"A muted palette and clean art style accompany the straightforward narrative of a great feat of cooperation and community support."-- "Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)"

"Striking, and the spreads convey just how massive an undertaking this was...It's epic, and an example of strong faith and community."-- "School Library Journal (SLJ)"

"Shazia celebrates the multicultural effort of the people who worked hard to get the mosque to its destination. Aliya's images brings such diversity to life through her colour and costuming of the people involved. Congratulations to Shazia and Aliya for telling us the awesome journey of the Midnight Sun Mosque in such a charming way."--Katherine Bullock, PhD President, Compass Books

"Many emotions are shown in the clear and colorful illustrations that follow the mosque...The story is a testament to the good will and support that reflect on 'helpers' - people who make our world a much better place."-- "Sal's Fiction Addiction"

"An uplifting, effectively delivered account of acceptance, support, and solidarity."-- "Booklist"

"A lovely recounting of how the Inuvik people received their first mosque. Afzal portrays this important historical event in a way which highlights community togetherness and human kindness. A treat for all children, teaching them that the seemingly impossible can sometimes be accomplished with some good-heartedness and a bit of teamwork."--Hend Hegazi, author, editor, and writing coach

"Ghare's scenic, digital illustrations do the heavy lifting in this intriguing story narrated in straightforward, spare text... A simple, celebratory story of community collaboration and religious tolerance."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"I LOVED the book! It's delightful! Love the illustrations. Love the way you handled the story. Masha Allah tabarakullah feeq!"--Rukhsana Khan, author

"It is a sweet instance of real life being harder to believe than fiction. It warms your heart and reminds you that there are so many good people doing selfless things for the benefit of others, every single day, subhanAllah."--Islamic School Librarian

"Shows how people from different cultures and religions came together to complete a project that helped a community feel welcomed and loved. Highly Recommended."-- "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"