Minnesota brothers create 'Dora The Explorer' for Muslims

PRI | THE WORLD
By Laura Yuen

The authors seek to build confidence in the religious identity of little Muslims by making Islamic education fun and exciting.

MINNESOTA---Amin Aaser didn't need to look farther than his own Minnesota childhood to inspire his series of children's books. The stories are set in a town called Maple Grove, named after the Minneapolis suburb where he grew up. And one of the main characters is a charismatic panda bear — also named Amin. Amin Aaser, 27, along with his older brother, Mohammed, got the idea to create children’s books at the family’s kitchen table about five years ago, when their sister announced she was pregnant. Their series is called "Noor Kids." Noor means "the light" in Arabic, the brothers explain, as if to illuminate the way for young Muslims. [link]