Ilyas & Duck: Spectacular Salah

About the author

Omar S. Khawaja: Omar S. Khawaja is the author and creative force behind the Ilyas & Duck series, a popular collection of Islamic picture books written for young Muslim children. A Muslim American born in Saudi Arabia to a family of Pakistani heritage, he grew up in New York and later settled in the Washington, D.C. area, where he lives with his wife and children. He founded the children's imprint Little Big Kids and created the series' two central characters: Ilyas, an inquisitive five-year-old forever questioning the world around him, and Duck, his goofy, good-natured friend who helps answer his questions. The books pair warm humor with simple lessons drawn from Islamic life. The first volume, Ilyas & Duck Search for Allah, follows a child's wondering search for God and earned a Moonbeam Children's Book Award Silver Medal in 2014. Later titles take young readers through the rhythms of the faith: Ilyas & Duck and the Fantastic Festival of Eid al-Fitr (a Moonbeam Silver Medal winner in 2015), Ilyas & Duck in A Zakat Tale, Ilyas & Duck: Spectacular Salah, and Ilyas & Duck: Ramadan Joy. Through approachable storytelling and bright illustration, Khawaja's work has become a familiar early introduction to faith for a generation of Muslim families.