As Mariam begins her Hajj ? the annual pilgrimage to the Ka'aba in the city of Makkah ? she decides to share blessed Zamzam water with everyone she meets. Soon, she discovers that when you share with others, someone will help you when you need it too. Mariam tries to share blessed Zamzam water with everyone she meets on Hajj?but what if she runs out? So many people, so many languages. 'Thank you' can be a simple smile, a friendly wave, a warm hug. Mariam is one of millions of people from all over the world who has come to Makkah for the annual pilgrimage of Hajj, and she overflows with excitement and awe. Mama tells her, "Hajj is a time to do good, share, and be thankful." But what good can Mariam do? That's it! She'll share Zamzam, blessed water from an ancient well, with everyone she meets. As Mariam shares her Zamzam throughout Hajj, she meets friends from all over the world. From fellow pilgrims, she learns new ways to say thank you, tries new foods and drinks, and discovers that when you share with and help others, someone will help you when you need it too. . Takes place during the annual pilgrimage event in Saudi Arabia . Characters from cultures across the world share foods and languages . Learn about appreciating differences within a community . Detailed endnotes unpack the cultural elements in the book, and explore Islamic traditions AGES: 4 to 8 AUTHOR: Razeena Omar Gutta has been writing for children and sharing her love for diverse books on various blogs for over ten years. She is the author of Hana's Hundreds of Hijabs. Razeena is a South Asian Muslim born in Zimbabwe and now living in Australia, where her three book-loving children inspire her to highlight Muslim lives in the joyful stories she writes for children. Bassent Dawoud is a children's book illustrator and art teacher living in Cairo, Egypt. To express the unique qualities of each book, she experiments with and integrates various art techniques, relying heavily on collage. Bassent enjoys immersing herself in nature: listening to birds, caring for cats, and watching flowers grow. SELLING POINTS: . MUSLIM FAITH: Features an annual event in Saudi Arabia that over a billion people worldwide hope to attend once in their lives. . GLOBAL AWARENESS: Highlights the global nature of Hajj, as Mariam meets people from all over the world during her stay in the Middle East. Cultures and countries represented include Pakistan, Indonesia, Uyghur, South Africa, the USA, Iran, Egypt, Somalia, Turkey, Bangladesh, and Australia. . SUSTAINABILITY: Features the use of well water in the desert, and a conservation outlook recognizing it as a precious resource. . SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Mariam learns about sharing, kindness, and community as she connects with fellow travelers while appreciating and learning from their differences. . EDUCATIONAL ENDNOTES: Detailed endmatter unpacks the cultural elements in the book, and explores Islamic traditions. . CULTURAL REPRESENTATION: Characters from cultures across the world ? Pakistan, Indonesia, Uyghur, South Africa, the USA, Iran, Egypt, Somalia, Turkey, Bangladesh, and Australia ? share foods and languages with Mariam.
