From Ya to Ants

From Ya to Ants is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 in which Ya, a curious letter of the Arabic alphabet, follows a trail of ants to find out where they are going, and meets the other letters of the alphabet, in order, along the way.

One morning Ya sees a line of ants marching past, and he has to know where they are going. So he follows them, step by step by step. He asks Alif, Ba, Ta and Tha by a tall building, and Jeem, Ha and Kha racing their boat against Dal and Dhal on a lake. Ra, Zay, Seen and Sheen are playing in the sand, and Sad, Dad, Ta and Dha are playing hide-and-seek in a jungle. When a wall blocks the way, Ya stretches, jumps and pulls himself over. Nobody knows where the ants are going.

At last, tired out by a shady bridge, Ya feels a touch on his shoulder. Meem, Noon, Waw and Ha lead him to a great big feast, and that is where the ants were going.

The title plays on "from Alif to Ya", the first and last letters, and the story is a playful way for children to hear the letters of the Arabic alphabet. It also shows the value of curiosity, of keeping going, and of friends who help. It is written by Sadaf Alam and illustrated by Aisha Aamir.

Ya was curious, and he loved to ask questions. One morning he looked outside and saw an amazing sight: a line of ants. Where were the ants going? He had to find out. So he started to follow them, step by step by step.

Maybe the ants lived in the tall building. Alif, Ba, Ta and Tha would know. "Do the ants live up there?" Ya asked. "I don't think so," said Alif. So Ya started off again, step by step by step.

Soon he came to a large lake, where Jeem, Ha and Kha were racing their boat against Dal and Dhal. Maybe the ants lived on a boat? But Dal and Dhal said they did not. So Ya started off again, step by step by step.

At the edge of the lake, Ra and Zay were playing in the sand with Seen and Sheen. The ants walked straight towards them, but they kept on walking. So Ya started off again, step by step by step.

After a long time, he came to a huge jungle, and the ants still kept going. Sad, Dad, Ta and Dha were playing hide-and-seek in the bushes. "Can you help me find where the ants are going?" Ya asked. But they did not even notice him. So Ya started off again, step by step by step.

All of a sudden, a wall blocked his way. The ants climbed over it, so Ya had to get over it too. He stretched, he jumped and he pulled himself up, and he saw that the ants still kept going. On the other side of the wall stood Ayn, Ghayn, Fa, Qaf, Kaf and Lam, watching the ants go by. "Do you know where the ants are going?" Ya asked. They looked at each other and shook their heads. So Ya started off again, step by step by step.

When at last Ya saw a shady bridge, he did not think he could go on any longer. Just then, someone touched his shoulder. It was Meem, Noon, Waw and Ha. "What happened, little Ya?" said Meem. "Can you tell me where the ants are going?" Ya asked. Of course they could. It was a great big feast, with fruit and cake, sandwiches and chips, juice and barbecue. Ya turned round to thank his new friend Meem, and that was where the ants were going.