Yasmin The Explorer
by Saadia Faruqi
AR Test, Teaches About Culture
5+
Score
2.4
32
Every explorer needs a map! Baba encourages Yasmin to make a map of her own neighborhood. When Yasmin and Mama go to the farmer’s market, Yasmin adds the different booths to her map. When she sees a playground, Yasmin gets excited and goes to play on the swings. Soon Yasmin realizes that she isn’t sure where Mama is. Can her map bring them back together?
The story has three short chapters and each page has large illustrations that will help readers understand the plot. The full-color illustrations use cheerful colors and show Yasmin’s map. Yasmin is Pakistani and her mother wears a hijab. Yasmin’s mother also uses Urdu words, which are defined in a glossary that appears at the back of the book.
Yasmin The Explorer will help emerging readers feel confident with their reading. Each page has 1 to 4 short sentences which are printed in oversized text. At the end of the book, there are questions that will help students connect to the text, some fun facts about Pakistan, and a recipe to make Mango Lassi, a traditional Pakistani dish.
Yasmin’s curiosity and enthusiasm are contagious; however, the story lacks conflict because the plot focuses on the places that Yasmin puts on her map. However, readers will relate to Yasmin when she is lost. Yasmin The Explorer would make a good conversation starter about the importance of telling your parents where you are going, as well as what to do if you are lost.
Sexual Content
- None
Violence
- None
Drugs and Alcohol
- None
Language
- None
Supernatural
- None
Spiritual Content
- None