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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Absolutely loved this multicultural time travel story for lower MG readers. The additional back matter will really enrich the reading experience for 3-4th graders who may not be familiar with the historical aspects of the story. In my opinion, this would make a great classroom read-aloud.
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Heartiest gratitude to Netgalley, the authors and the publishers for proving me with an ARC.
Despite being cousins, Ava is Jewish and Nadim is Muslim, possibly the top two religions targeted for bullying by people of different faiths. The fact that they belong in same family but practice different religions doesn't help at all and the hateful behaviors of bullies at school *almost* reduce them to tears. They share the saddening events with their Granny Buena who lightens the mood by bringing out a mysterious button box and narrating fascinating stories of their ancestors, only to stop in the middle, leaving them unsatisfied. They sneakily try to figure out more about the box when by surprising turns of events, they go back in time in ancient Morocco, where they meet their ancestors. One of them happens to be Prince Abdur Rahman, member of Umayyad dynasty in Spain, fleeing for his life from the Abbasids. Ava and Nadim find themselves standing at a crucial point of the history. One wrong move can change the entire future. They might not even be born! Will they be able to blend with their extended family and save the day?
I read the book in less than 24 hours. It grabbed my attention from the very first line and by the time I finished, I knew without a doubt, it's gonna be categorized as one of the 'Oh My Goodness! What have I just Read's in my heart. Phenomenal, feel-good and fantastic story-telling with equally powerful and important concept have set this book apart, leaving a long lasting effect. I am just blown away by its magnificence and sheer brilliance.
Those who love historical fictions like me, you must read this! Filled with warmth, love & friendship, familial ties, exciting adventures, cultural and religious diversity, historical facts, this book will engage and speak to readers of all ages. I can't recommend it enough. I am buying a copy as soon as I can.
Despite being cousins, Ava is Jewish and Nadim is Muslim, possibly the top two religions targeted for bullying by people of different faiths. The fact that they belong in same family but practice different religions doesn't help at all and the hateful behaviors of bullies at school *almost* reduce them to tears. They share the saddening events with their Granny Buena who lightens the mood by bringing out a mysterious button box and narrating fascinating stories of their ancestors, only to stop in the middle, leaving them unsatisfied. They sneakily try to figure out more about the box when by surprising turns of events, they go back in time in ancient Morocco, where they meet their ancestors. One of them happens to be Prince Abdur Rahman, member of Umayyad dynasty in Spain, fleeing for his life from the Abbasids. Ava and Nadim find themselves standing at a crucial point of the history. One wrong move can change the entire future. They might not even be born! Will they be able to blend with their extended family and save the day?
I read the book in less than 24 hours. It grabbed my attention from the very first line and by the time I finished, I knew without a doubt, it's gonna be categorized as one of the 'Oh My Goodness! What have I just Read's in my heart. Phenomenal, feel-good and fantastic story-telling with equally powerful and important concept have set this book apart, leaving a long lasting effect. I am just blown away by its magnificence and sheer brilliance.
Those who love historical fictions like me, you must read this! Filled with warmth, love & friendship, familial ties, exciting adventures, cultural and religious diversity, historical facts, this book will engage and speak to readers of all ages. I can't recommend it enough. I am buying a copy as soon as I can.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really cute and lovely story. Took me a minute to get through it, but I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Islamophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Religious bigotry
Minor: Violence
Cousins, Ava and Nadeem are being ridiculed by their 5th grade classmate for being Jewish and Muslim. As they are wondering what to do about the issue, their Granny Buena shows them a special button passed down from their ancestors who helped to save Prince Abdur Rahmann. Granny Buena begins to tell them the story of Ester, who aided Prince Abdur Rahmann in escaping ancient Morocco and finding his way to Spain to create a safe haven for Muslims, Jews and Christians. However, before Granny Buena can finish the story, Ava and Nadeem find out firsthand just how Prince Abdur Rahmann made his escape.
The Button Box is a middle grade historical adventure that is a lot of fun and incorporates the heritage of Muslim and Jewish culture. Ava and Nadeem face a common problem that Muslim and Jewish kids often face and come up with a very creative way to solve it once they experience life during Prince Abdur Rahmann's time. I loved the button and the cousin's cat, Sheba as time travel mechanisms and how Ava and Nadeem were able to integrate into ancient Morocco and learn about their history as well as their cultures through experiences in the past. Prince Abdul Rahmann was in fact a real person who helped to usher in the Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians in Spain and I was glad to learn of his story. Ava and Nadeem learn valuable lessons from their journey to the past and are able to apply them to their present day in useful ways once they return. The Button Box is a fast-paced magical story tying together the shared Muslim and Jewish heritage and history.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
The Button Box is a middle grade historical adventure that is a lot of fun and incorporates the heritage of Muslim and Jewish culture. Ava and Nadeem face a common problem that Muslim and Jewish kids often face and come up with a very creative way to solve it once they experience life during Prince Abdur Rahmann's time. I loved the button and the cousin's cat, Sheba as time travel mechanisms and how Ava and Nadeem were able to integrate into ancient Morocco and learn about their history as well as their cultures through experiences in the past. Prince Abdul Rahmann was in fact a real person who helped to usher in the Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians in Spain and I was glad to learn of his story. Ava and Nadeem learn valuable lessons from their journey to the past and are able to apply them to their present day in useful ways once they return. The Button Box is a fast-paced magical story tying together the shared Muslim and Jewish heritage and history.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
The Button Box was a fun and adventurous time travel fantasy. I thought this was a middle-grade novel, but it's more of a chapter book. I think it was a short, but satisfying story. It had character development, world-building, and a fast-paced plot. I would definitely buy this for any chapter book readers in my life. It shared knowledge about Ava being Jewish and Nadeem being Muslim in an easy-to-understand way that felt like a part of the story instead of info-dumping.
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This middle grade historical fiction book would have been one of my favorites a child. I loved how the story kept moving at the quick pace without sacrificing the plot. It is exciting and teaches about a unique time and place in history with an interfaith family and several languages represented without being boring.
This middle grade historical fiction book would have been one of my favorites a child. I loved how the story kept moving at the quick pace without sacrificing the plot. It is exciting and teaches about a unique time and place in history with an interfaith family and several languages represented without being boring.
✨ Review ✨ The Button Box by Bridget Hodder and Fawzia Gilani-Williams
If your kids like the concept of Magic Treehouse books (time travel books for kids), this will be right up their alley. Hodder and Gilani-Williams create something up this alley but way more inclusive. Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her Muslim cousin Nadeem discover a crystal box of really old buttons that their Grandma claims dates back hundreds of years in their family. Ava and Nadeem travel back in time to help Prince Abdur Rahman escape Morocco to (what we now know as Spain), where he helped launch a golden age of religious tolerance and academic discovery.
The writing is super accessible with lots of great cultural detail from both historic and contemporary times, writing inclusively across cultures and religions, bringing in a bit of Hebrew, Arabic, and Ladino, as well as speaking to the origins of Sephardic Jews. I learned a lot about a time and place I didn't really know much about!
While I read this one without my 8yo, I think he would have really enjoyed it and had lots of questions about what we read. It's also a great chance to discuss religious and cultural tolerance and inclusion with your kids.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: middle grade fantasy, historical fiction
Location: contemporary time and ancient Morocco
Reminds me of: Magic Treehouse Books
Pub Date: out now!
Read this if you like:
⭕️ time travel - blending fantasy and historical fiction
⭕️ interfaith stories
⭕️ mysterious cats
⭕️ interesting idioms / phrases across languages
Thanks to Kar-Ben Publishing and Books Forward for an e-copy of this book!
If your kids like the concept of Magic Treehouse books (time travel books for kids), this will be right up their alley. Hodder and Gilani-Williams create something up this alley but way more inclusive. Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her Muslim cousin Nadeem discover a crystal box of really old buttons that their Grandma claims dates back hundreds of years in their family. Ava and Nadeem travel back in time to help Prince Abdur Rahman escape Morocco to (what we now know as Spain), where he helped launch a golden age of religious tolerance and academic discovery.
The writing is super accessible with lots of great cultural detail from both historic and contemporary times, writing inclusively across cultures and religions, bringing in a bit of Hebrew, Arabic, and Ladino, as well as speaking to the origins of Sephardic Jews. I learned a lot about a time and place I didn't really know much about!
While I read this one without my 8yo, I think he would have really enjoyed it and had lots of questions about what we read. It's also a great chance to discuss religious and cultural tolerance and inclusion with your kids.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: middle grade fantasy, historical fiction
Location: contemporary time and ancient Morocco
Reminds me of: Magic Treehouse Books
Pub Date: out now!
Read this if you like:
⭕️ time travel - blending fantasy and historical fiction
⭕️ interfaith stories
⭕️ mysterious cats
⭕️ interesting idioms / phrases across languages
Thanks to Kar-Ben Publishing and Books Forward for an e-copy of this book!
What an absolutely lovely, atmospheric story! These kids and their nona (and cat) completely drew me in, and I loved this glimpse into history through the eyes of two kids today. I've been curious about the history of Ceuta (Sabtah) for a while, and this definitely makes me want to learn more.