Today, we are delighted to celebrate the release of Behind My Doors: The Story of the World’s Oldest Library, a charming ode to the magical wonders of each and every library.
Come learn about the oldest operating library in existence that 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.
Praise for Behind My Doors:
“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
“A lovingly told ode to libraries, Islamic intellectual history, storytelling, and the role of women in Muslim history.” —The Horn Book
“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
Order your copy today:
Lee & Low Books
Indiebound/Bookshop
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
Hena Khan is the author of multiple children’s books, many of which focus on contemporary Muslim life, including Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns; Under My Hijab; and Amina’s Voice, which was named to multiple best-of-the-year lists. Born and raised in Maryland, she now lives near Washington, DC, with her family. Please visit her online at henakhan.com and follow her at @henakhanbooks.
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. You can see more of her work at nabilaadani.wixsite.com/graphics.