Zak and His Good Intentions

Zak and His Good Intentions by J Samia Mair, the prolific American author, is a story of a boy, Zak, and his sister Hana who decide to see how many good deeds they can do in one day. Unfortunately, all of Zak’s good deeds manage to backfire spectacularly and cause a mess. The book depicts the normal sibling rivalry very well; in fact this could even be a true story, and provides children with lessons on a variety of important Islamic aspects. The Discussion Points given at the end of the book are most salient and elaborate upon the details that could have been overlooked in a casual reading. The paragraph about the importance of good intentions is most informative and is a great way to explain the translated Hadith that follows it. The humour and misadventures in the story will allow children to remember the underlying lessons fondly. It is designed to impart an understanding of Islamic character (especially the importance of intentions) in a nonconfrontational and friendly manner.