By Shazia Afzal
Illustrated by Aliya Ghare
Orca, 2022
32 pages
9781459827608
Ages 3-6
When a Muslim community in Inuvik, two hundred kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, outgrows its makeshift house of worship, a new mosque is delivered from the other end of the country. The Midnight Sun mosque is built in Winnipeg and loaded onto a truck to begin its 4,470-kilometer journey across Canada. Along the way, many people assist in the passage of such a wide load: moving road signs, directing traffic, lifting power lines, widening bridges, and sharing the road. The mosque arrives at the Hay River in time to board the final barge, which will carry the Midnight Sun the last 1,800 kilometers to its destination. In Inuvik, the mosque receives its final touches. A carpenter travels there to build a minaret, and the people of Inuvik paint the interior walls and furnish the building with care. When the work is complete, the entire community—Muslims, Christians, Gwich’in First Nation Elders, and others—comes together to celebrate with a feast. A muted palette and clean art style accompany the straightforward narrative of a great feat of cooperation and community support. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center