Salaam means peace. And with that stated philosophy, Simon & Schuster in Canada is launching a line of books for children and young adults aimed squarely at the Muslim population.

The titles will include picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult, said the company. This could be either great targeting, or cynical marketing, depending on your point of view.

The company says it’s not just a targeting, though, and cites two reasons for doing this: first, to introduce readers “of all faiths and backgrounds” to the lives of Muslim children, who are themselves quite diverse. And second, to allow Muslim kids to see themselves written about in a positive light.

Both these reasons point to the uneasy position that many Muslims find themselves in today, even in a country as liberal as Canada. Maybe this is one way publishing can indeed change the world, even if in a small way.

Meanwhile, we recommend you read Anna Perera’s 2009 book Guantanamo Boy, in which an English teen gets abducted by US forces while on vacation in his father’s homeland, Pakistan.