Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua illustrated by Natalya Tariq
This 26 page book is set on Eid, it does not specify Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, but it isn’t overly impactful on the story outside of the framing, so really it is a non issue. The book shows a Muslim family and is a benefit for appealing to women and girls in science, unfortunately it has some plot holes though. A big point of the book is the girl, Khadija, wondering if she can be a scientist who wears hijab because she doesn’t see any scientists at the fair wearing one. When she voices this concern to her parents, her father reassures her saying, “Anyone can be a scientist. Scientists can wear a hijab like Amma, or glasses like me.” First of all, I don’t like it equating hijab to glasses, hijab is a religious practice, not a tool to help you see or an accessory. I’m well aware not every book has to have Islam centered, but I do worry that if hijab is relegated to an article of clothing, and Khadija doesn’t wear hijab, that readers might just be confused and not be able to connect the dots. With weak writing, a confusing premise, and a climax of doing an experiment, that is not included for the readers to do at home, included in the book; I am struggling to recommend this for every bookshelf. It isn’t a bad read, it just should be better. I love the joyful engaging illustrations, I like the female Muslim science representation even. I just ultimately think the weak writing drags the book down and will have some kids confused why she is worried about a scarf she doesn’t wear impeding on a career she doesn’t have, and be unable to see that as a Muslima she will want to wear hijab as an act of worship when she grows up.
The book starts with Khadija and her family heading to her school for the science fair after Eid salah. She sees lots of scientists, but notices none wearing hijab. She gets a science kit to do at home and then the family starts to prepare for guests coming over for dinner.
Khadija can’t wait to do her experiment so she quietly gathers up supplies, and heads to the bathroom to make elephant toothpaste. It works, a little too well, but then it is everywhere and mom and dad show up to help her clean. Khadija wonders if she is not cut out to be a scientist. Mom and dad console her, the people arrive for an Eid party, and her parents and her do the experiment for all to see.
The story is pretty straightforward, but I sure have a lot of questions: why is the “big day” the science fair and not Eid. It is at her school but the science fair is not students sharing projects, but professional scientists? And does she purchase a science kit, why does her mom give it to her at the fair, but then she asks the scientist is she can do it at home? What else did she see or learn at the science fair, she just went saw scientists in lab coats, got the kit and left? How was it still morning when she got home after the fair, after Eid salah? Yes it says salah not salat. There is a whole page of her getting an Eid gift and squealing with delight, but never shares what the gift is. I also really, really wish it had the experiment in the book. I want to know what it is and why it is called, “elephant toothpaste.” I truly do not know why this book has no backmatter. Information about women in science, how to do the experiment, maybe something about hijab or Eid. A link or scannable QR code to see the experiment would have even added something to increase knowledge and excitement for science, representation, and dreaming big.
