The best Islamic children’s books by age (0 to 9)

For under-3s, the best Islamic children’s books are Sara Khan’s My First Book board books (The Islamic Foundation). At 3–5, try Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns and Not Now, Noor!. At 5–7, My First Quran Storybook and The Proudest Blue. At 7–9, Goodnight Stories from the Quran and Planet Omar. Mix faith books with everyday Muslim stories.

How did we choose these books?

Every book here is a real, published title that we checked against the publisher or a major bookseller, with the author, illustrator and publisher named. A book made the list if it does two jobs: it is a good children’s book (well written, beautifully illustrated, worth rereading) and it is accurate and respectful about Islam. Ages are the publisher’s or BookTrust’s guidance where one exists; otherwise they are our suggestion. You know your child best.

What are the best Islamic books for babies and toddlers (0–3)?

Start with sturdy board books that name Allah, the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a few simple, accurate sentences. At this age the goal is warm familiarity, not facts.

• My First Book About Allah, plus …About the Qur’an, …About Prophet Muhammad, …About Salah, …About Ramadan and …About Hajj, by Sara Khan, illustrated by Alison (Ali) Lodge (The Islamic Foundation, an imprint of Kube Publishing). Board books for roughly ages 2–6 that introduce Allah’s Oneness, power, love and mercy in toddler-sized text.
• Allah Gave Me Two Eyes to See by Fatima M. D’Oyen (The Islamic Foundation, Allah the Maker series). Rhyming verses that link each sense to gratitude to Allah; the publisher suggests age 3+, but toddlers enjoy the rhythm earlier.

What are good Islamic books for 3 to 5 year olds?

Preschoolers are ready for picture books with a story and a Muslim family they recognise. Choose books with lots to point at and talk about.

• Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (Chronicle Books). Each spread pairs a colour with a Muslim practice, from a red prayer rug to a blue hijab; ages 3–7, also in board book.
• Not Now, Noor! by Farhana Islam, illustrated by Nabila Adani (Puffin). A curious girl asks why the women in her family wear the hijab; light-hearted and warm, ages about 4–8. Farhana Islam is a primary school teacher.
• Can You Find My Eid Presents? by A. M. Dassu, illustrated by Junissa Bianda (Scholastic). A search-and-find Eid story; BookTrust lists it for ages 2–7. More seasonal picks are in Ramadan and Eid books for kids.
• Hudhud (personalised): the child’s name and an illustrated likeness, drawn from one photo, fly at night with a talking hoopoe through the stories of the Prophets Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (peace be upon them). A 31-page, 250 × 200 mm paperback for roughly ages 2–9.

What Islamic books suit 5 to 7 year olds?

Early readers can follow a short Qur’an story with a clear moral, and they start to notice how Muslim children are shown at school and in public. Give them both.

• My First Quran Storybook by Saniyasnain Khan (Goodword Books). 42 easy-to-read Qur’an stories, each ending with a moral and a Qur’an reference so you can look up the ayat yourself. A long book (about 320 pages) to read one story at a time.
• The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S. K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly (Andersen Press in the UK). Faizah’s big sister wears her first hijab to school; a story about pride, sisterhood and standing tall when others are unkind. Oak National Academy uses it as a Year 2 English text. The sequel is The Kindest Red (2023).
• Salat in Secret by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Hatem Aly (Random House Studio, 2023). A boy who has just been given his own prayer rug finds the courage to pray away from home.

What should 7 to 9 year olds read?

Confident readers can manage longer Qur’an and seerah collections, and they love funny chapter books with Muslim heroes.

• Goodnight Stories from the Quran by Saniyasnain Khan (Goodword Books). 33 Qur’anic stories retold in age-appropriate language; a natural next step after My First Quran Storybook.
• Goodnight Stories from the Life of the Prophet Muhammad (23 stories) and Tell Me About the Prophet Muhammad (a short illustrated life, from his childhood to his last Hajj), both by Saniyasnain Khan (Goodword Books).
• Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian, illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik (Hodder Children’s Books, 2019). A funny, heavily illustrated novel about a British Muslim boy and his family; Hodder suggests ages 7–10, and it is the first of a series.
• Once Upon an Eid, edited by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed (Amulet Books). 15 pieces by Muslim writers, mostly short stories plus a poem and a comic; reviewers suggest 8–12, so it suits strong readers at the top of this range.

Which book suits which age? (summary table)

How do you choose a good Islamic children’s book?

Check five things: the Islamic content is accurate, it is respectful, the story is good on its own, the reading level fits, and your child can see themselves in it. A quick test in the shop or library:

1. Accuracy. Qur’an stories should follow the Qur’an and ideally give references (as Goodword’s books do). Be wary of colourful details that are not in the Qur’an or authentic hadith.
2. Respect. Mainstream Muslim publishers do not show the Prophets in pictures. Check how a book handles this if it matters to your family.
3. Story first. Read two pages aloud. If it sounds like a lecture, your child will hear it as one.
4. Level. Board books for under-3s, one idea per page for 3–5s, short chapters with pictures for 7–9s.
5. Representation. In the National Literacy Trust’s 2022 survey, 38.9% of 8–18-year-olds said they found it hard to find books with characters or people like them, rising to 53.1% of 8–11-year-olds. Everyday stories with Muslim children help close that gap.

How do you build a small Islamic home library?

Six well-chosen books cover the essentials; add to them as your child grows.

• One book about Allah: who He is, His mercy and love.
• One Qur’an story collection to read a story at a time (see our Prophet stories for kids hub).
• One book about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
• Ramadan and Eid books brought out each year.
• Two or three everyday-life books with Muslim children, so they see themselves in ordinary stories too.
• A book that stars them, which they will ask for again and again.

For night-time picks and stories you can tell without a book, see Islamic bedtime stories, and for getting the most out of reading together, our reading with children tips.

Where can you buy Islamic children’s books in the UK?

Islamic publishers and booksellers carry the faith titles; mainstream bookshops and libraries carry the picture books from big publishers.

• Kube Publishing (Markfield, Leicestershire) publishes The Islamic Foundation’s children’s list, including Sara Khan’s series, and sells direct.
• Islamic bookshops such as Darussalam UK and Riwaya stock Goodword titles by Saniyasnain Khan.
• High-street and online bookshops carry Puffin, Andersen Press, Scholastic and Hodder titles such as Not Now, Noor!, The Proudest Blue and Planet Omar.
• Your local library is the cheapest way to test a book before buying; ask about reservations if a title is out.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Buying only “faith” books. Children also need to see Muslims in funny, ordinary stories.
• Going too old too soon. A 320-page story collection overwhelms a four-year-old; read one story, not one book.
• Reading once. Young children learn from repetition. A book read twenty times does more than twenty books read once.