Journey of the Midnight Sun

This picture book by Afzal, a teacher and storyteller who immigrated to Canada in 2002, is inspired by a true story. Muslims living in Inuvik need a bigger mosque and a way to build it so that would be affordable. A team from Winnipeg, Manitoba, working with the support of a charitable organization, built a new mosque. The illustrations show a diverse group of people constructing the mosque and then transporting it via truck through busy cities and down narrow rural roads and finally by boat. Obstacles along the way, such as low hanging power lines and impassable bridges, are worked through with the help of workers in the different communities. Emotions such as patience (the other drivers on the road), worry (when a bridge is too weak to hold the weight), and happiness (when the mosque arrives via boat) are reflected clearly on the faces of the people in the story. The story ends with views of inside of the mosque. Children help adults shelve books, set out carpets, and paint walls. The story is not text heavy, but it does include facts about the distance the mosque travelled and a message from the author that details more about what the story means to her. Ghare's illustrations are realistic in style and large. They include sweeping views and a few close-ups that are encased in comic strip like borders.

Journey of the Midnight Sun shows how people from different cultures and religions came together to complete a project that helped a community feel welcomed and loved.