Iqbal and His Ingenious Idea

March 12, 2018
In the newest addition to the CitizenKid series from Suneby (Razia’s Ray of Hope), a Bangladeshi boy’s search for a science fair project is the conduit for discussing a health and safety issue found in many developing countries: open-flame cooking. The fictional Iqbal (not to be confused with the late Pakistani children’s rights crusader) notices that smoky indoor cooking during monsoon season is causing his family’s breathing problems. He works with his teacher and sister to build a solar cooker for the science fair, hoping that the prize money could pay for a propane stove. The stylized colored-pencil illustrations from Green (How to Make Friends with a Ghost) offer realistic scenes of Bangladeshi village life in muted hues and portray the closeness of Iqbal’s family. Readers also glimpse an educational system segregated by gender: Iqbal’s class consists of all boys with a male teacher, though his inquisitive, insistent sister, Sadia, who also attends school, is just as involved with the project. An author’s note, glossary, and do-it-yourself instructions for a pizza box solar cooker wrap up another successful entry in this series of encouraging stories about children empowered by education and engaged in problem-solving in their communities. Ages 8–12.

March 1, 2018

Gr 2-5-Based on actual experiences of people living in Bangladesh, this fictional story highlights the role of scientific problem-solving to improve daily life through the conceit of a science fair project. When Iqbal's teacher announces that the theme of this year's science fair will be sustainability, he constructs a solar cooker; that way, when the monsoon weather arrives in Bangladesh, his mother and baby sister will not have to breathe in the smoke-filled air caused by cooking indoors. With the help of his sister, Iqbal does win and, more important, he solves a problem in a way that protects the environment, reduces health problems, and especially benefits girls and women. The well-written text is clear and descriptive. A monsoon, for example, is described as follows: "Not a light mist or even a steady downpour, but gusts of rain that whip across your face and make you squint your eyes." The illustrations provide many details of the setting in Bangladesh, of Iqbal's dreaming and planning, and of the details of the solar cooker. Back matter includes more information about solar cookers and directions for making one from a pizza box. VERDICT An excellent example of how children can apply science to problem solving.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2018
It's monsoon season in Bangladesh, which means Iqbal's mother has to cook inside the house using firewood. The smoke it produces causes her and baby Rupa to fall sick. Unfortunately, Iqbal and his family are not well-to-do and cannot afford a gas stove to replace the fire. Iqbal, however, is a bright young boy; he is determined to win the first prize at the district science fair, which in turn will buy his mother a gas stove. Armed with an ingenious idea and helped by his sister Sadia, Iqbal designs and builds a solar-powered stove for his entry. Suneby's easily accessible narrative at once introduces many Western readers to a different way of life and inspires them to think outside the box. Green's illustrations are earthy and colorful and perfectly capture the soul of the story. Information about clean cookstoves, an activity to build a solar-powered stove out of a pizza box, and a glossary follow the story and might inspire discussions about different cultures and DIY science experiments in a classroom setting.Deftly promotes a positive message about embracing and harnessing one's curiosity and intelligence to make a difference. (Picture book. 5-10)

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March 1, 2018
Grades 2-4 From the CitizenKid line comes this picture book, a third-person fictional story of a boy inspired to be a better citizen by acting locally. During monsoon season in Bangladesh, Iqbal notices cooking smoke making his mother sick, and so with his sister's help, he wins a sustainability science fair with a solar cooker, creating benefits for his Muslim family and the environment. The familiar context of science projects will resonate with the audience, and additional information about clean cookstoves and instructions for creating one from a pizza box are included. The glossary defines words in Bengali, several international organizations are indicated as references, and the colored-pencil illustrations are informative and particularly well drawn. Calling it his ingenious idea is a bit disingenuous, as Iqbal gets the plan from going straight to the computer and typing in smokeless cooking, but it's nevertheless an impactful idea of which he can be proud and which might motivate readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
Fictional Bangladeshi boy Iqbal builds an inexpensive solar cooker to win the school science fair; with his prize money he also buys his mother a healthy gas stove to avoid the harmful smoke from an open fire indoors. Information on clean cookstoves and DIY instructions round out this excellent resource for thinking about science and daily life in other countries. Colored-pencil illustrations effectively render monsoon-season Bangladesh. Glos.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)