Synopsis
With the simple lines of Pennsylvania German folk motifs and the brilliant colors and patterns of their quilts and fabrics, Carolyn Croll has illustrated her own adaptation of a tale full of gentle wisdom. A young boy proves his worth to his older brothers in a surprising way.- ★★★★☆
- ★★★☆☆
- ★★★★★
- ★★★★☆
- Although Amos yearns to occasionally work with his older brothers on the farm, he never complains about having to do all the household chores, including washing clothes and churning butter. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ did not shy away from helping around the house. In fact he mended his own clothes!
- Amos is humble about his abilities. While his brothers are convinced that their ideas will win, Amos continues to work harder and think deeper about the challenge their father posed. Have you ever thought your idea was better than everyone else’s? What happened? Have you ever been in a situation when someone belittled your idea? How did you react?
Mindful Muslim Review
This a beautiful retelling of a classic folktale, highlighting both the ingenuity and humility of the youngest son in winning the family farm, while managing to keep his family together.
When Amos is relegated to menial tasks or household chores instead of the more exciting farm work of his brothers, he doesn’t complain or argue. He offers to help his brothers but also does his own chores cheerfully and with ihsan (beauty and excellence). When his father announces a contest to win the farm, he seizes the opportunity to use his intelligence and demonstrate his ability to think outside the box. After he wins the farm, he shows compassion and generosity to his brothers, inviting them to share the farm equally with him. He not only wins the farm, and the respect of his brothers, he allows the family to live together happily for another generation.
