Behind My Doors : The Story of the World's Oldest Library

Hardcover

Synopsis

Come learn about the oldest operating library in existence, which was originally founded by a Muslim woman in 859!

Come learn about the oldest operating library in existence, which was originally founded by a Muslim woman in 859!

Merhaba! Welcome! Meet Al-Qarawiyyin Library--the oldest library in the world. Do you want to see what magical treasures are behind its doors? You'll find special reading rooms where young and old gathered to discuss, debate, and discover the world. And, most important, the collection of books that hold knowledge more valuable than any jewels! Open its doors, unlock its story, and discover an adventure that only a library can share.

Told from the unique perspective of the library, award-winning author Hena Khan, along with luminous illustrations by Nabila Adani, bring to readers Behind My Doors, a charming ode to the magical wonders of each and every library.

Author

Hena Khan is the author of many award-winning children's books, including Under My Hijab, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Amina's Voice, and the Zara's Rules series. She lives near Washington, DC, with her family. 

Illustrator

Nabila Adani is an illustrator who briefly worked as a product designer before moving to the United States to study children's book illustration. She now enjoys illustrating different cultures from around the world for children. She lives in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Praise

"A lovingly told ode to libraries, Islamic intellectual history, storytelling, and the role of women in Muslim history." -- The Horn Book

"The library's role in the history of scholarship is well established, and readers will have no trouble extending the thought that its purpose as a place 'to sit, think, and dream big' encompasses all of its descendants." -- Booklist

"Khan's first-person prose imbues the subject with both intimacy and a sense of majesty; readers will come away awed at the role of libraries as repositories of knowledge. A moving tribute to a cultural treasure." -- Kirkus Reviews

Best Books for Kids 2024 - THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Best of the Best Books 2024 - Chicago Public Library
Books We Love 2024 - National Public Radio (NPR)

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