When Wings Expand

Writing on the pages of her journal, Nur, a teenage girl in Canada, charts the onset and advance of her mother's cancer. Nur watches her mother's body begin to shrink, and her mood begin to darken. And, when family and friends begin to encroach, Nur must face the prospect of her mother's looming death. "She wrapped her arms around me and said, "Nur! I know. I don't want to go. But all I can do is keep trusting in Allah. Nur, I will always be with you! My love and advice will always be with you to guide you in the right direction." She patted my heart. "They are forever sealed inside this little place" Nur bears the crushing loss and finds her adolescent life more demanding and complex. But with the legacy of her mother's love, her family's support, and the guidance of her faith, she manages to overcome the searing pain and use her new found strength to bring joy in to the lives of others. Showing them that after death our wings can expand.

"The author writes the novel in the form of a journal with Nur directly addressing her diary at the beginning of each chapter, which she calls "Buraq," in the second-person. At times her devotion add to the strength of the novel, for she makes a strong role model for young readers who may grow spiritually by getting to know this 'ideal Muslim' figure close to their age. Nur's piety also makes sense on a literary level; by creating a character as devout as Nur, the author was able to focus on the grieving process itself without external negative distractions such as tensions between family members." Alt Muslimah

Mehded Sinclair is a professional story teller with 25 years of experience. Her career as a touring and teaching artist began with Vermont Council. She lived in Turkey for 10 years teaching language and storytelling and now resides in Amman, Jordan. Mehded is the author of two picture books Miraculous Happenings in the year of the Elephant and A Trust of Treasures (both published by Kube Publishing).