Category Archives: Muslim Illustrator

Apr17

Doppaland: The World Where They Found Themselves by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri

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Doppaland: The World Where They Found Themselves by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri

This 42 page book follows a tried and true method of kids being swept away by some magical object to a distant land to have an adventure and share with the reader what they learn. In this case it is twins Eldar and Elnur being taken from their apartment in Paris to their parents’ Ugghur homeland when they put on their doppas, Ugghur hats, that in this book have magically come to life in the night. The doppas transport the children to the Silk Road to show them and tell them about the people and traditions in Hotan, the Taklamakan Desert, Kashgar, Ghulja, the Ili River, Turpan, and the Altai Mountains. The characters are Muslim and Islam is present throughout the pages. The literary elements are fairly basic, but as far as I know this is the first and only OWN voice Ugghur picture book, and Alhumdulillah it exists. The book provides an easy way to introduce some of the culture, geography, language, and traditions to early elementary aged children. The illustrations are engaging and equally informative, and I appreciate the glossary in the back. I just wish there was a map and some information about the persecution of the community to further highlight why familiarity and support of our Muslim brothers and sisters in Northwest China is so important.

When culture day approaches the twins ask their parent’s for something from their weten to share, and mom gifts them doppas. The kids make duas that they can one day go to their parents’ homeland and see what it looks like. Awoken by a soft noise in the night, the twins, and their cat, find the doppas glowing, and talking, and ready to take them to Doppaland.

The trio, Mushuk goes too, say Bismillah and are off. They fly over Paris, and discuss how they have been mistaken for Japanese as their Turkic ethnicity is diverse and rich.  In Hotan, an oasis near the desert, they see weavers wearing little doppas called telpik.

When they reach the Taklamakan Desert they hear music from the rawap, dap, and chang.  They see hunters living the sunnahs of horse back riding and staying strong to “defend their land if needed.”

In “Kashgar, the centre of knowledge,” they spend time at the library and marvel at all the languages the Ugghurs speak.

Their adventures continue as they learn how in Ghulja they greet with salaam by placing their hand on their heart, and enjoy the fruit in Turpan and the families picking grapes together.

After seeing a snow leopard in the Altai Mountains, they return home wondering if it was all a dream, but eager to share their knowledge with their classmates on Culture Day.

Apr15

Landing in Place by Sherine Hamdy illustrated by Myra El Mir

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Landing in Place by Sherine Hamdy illustrated by Myra El Mir

I think first and foremost I want to stress that this is a mature YA read. The majority of the book takes place after the protagonist has graduated high school, it involves a toxic mother who smokes, politics, romantic relationships, generational trauma, death, commentary on Islamic practices, relationships with opposite genders including when they are LGBTQ+, lying, and some profanity.  YA is classified as 12 and up, which given the graphic novel format, and the plot of her coming of age, I entered the book viewing it from an Islamic school librarian lens of handing or shelving the book for middle school and up, and thus it is not appropriate in my opinion. If you read it from a more adult lens, please share your impressions, as the book has a TON of Islam, and I would love to discuss.  It has Quranic ayats, it has Hadith, it has a girl fighting her family to wear hijab, it has incredible points, unfortunately  I just couldn’t quite support how the points were connected. If the book were a memoir, or I met someone and this was their lived experience, I wouldn’t find it concerning, it would be one person’s journey and them simply doing the best they can, Allahualam.  BUT, somehow the tone seems to extend beyond just Anisa living her life and growing as a result, and reads more of the author opining that this is how Islam is or this is how Muslims should or should do things, or view things, or not feel constrained by things, and by its end I just couldn’t support the character’s choices and the justifying framing, perhaps because it is fiction.

SYNOPSIS:

Because I want to spend more time on the Islam and why I struggled with how it was connected, I’m simply going to copy and paste the publisher provided summary of the book:

A poignant coming-of-age graphic novel about an Egyptian American girl grappling with college, her family, and the political realities of her wider world.

Anisa is following in her sister Reem’s footsteps: She’s a freshman at her sister’s alma mater, she’s on the same premed track, and she’s inherited Reem’s old hotpot, mini-fridge, and textbooks. Even though Anisa would prefer to study art, her parents discount that as a valid career choice. The path laid out before her starts to crumble as Anisa feels she doesn’t belong—either in her organic chemistry class or among the other Muslim students on campus.

When Anisa fails her first semester, she begs her parents to let her take time off to visit Cairo and stay with her beloved grandfather. Finally free to have her own experiences, Anisa begins a journey of self-discovery and, as she bumps up against familial, societal, and religious expectations, she starts to develop her own artistic voice. When Anisa returns to the United States, many of these expectations shift, but she learns to draw on the love of friends and family—including those she’s often at odds with—in order to stay true to herself.

 

WHY I LIKE IT:
I like that the book feels very real, that the character arc and growth, challenges and setbacks, struggles and character’s voice, radiate authenticity and seeks to shed light on what not only shapes us and our view of the world, but understanding the politics, culture, religious, and lived experiences of what our parents also have been shaped by in a manner that is neither overly naive or harsh.

I appreciated the political commentary, the internal reflections of faith and her closeness with her grandfather in Egypt which often centers Islam. And as a work of fiction I understand in the broad sense that the book does not want to get didactic in its sharing of the deen, but it seems to want to have it both ways.  It shares the Quranic Arabic in the pages with meaning of the translation in the backmatter, quotes uncited hadith and references Islamic customs, yet I feel by staying gray in how the character interpreted Islamic teachings and failing to commit to her showing her own rationale for the choices and understanding driving those choices, the book leaves holes in the plot and a lot of questions.  For example, why is kissing her Sikh boyfriend considered a “mistake,” only because she wears hijab? She commits to him by getting her mom and Muslim friends on board with their relationship with the book sharing that different opinions are good according to Prophet Muhammad (saw).  She starts to wear hijab and says she is doing it for the right reasons, but those reasons are never shared.  She develops a relationship with Allah swt which is beautiful, but what is the messaging for the reader, with her justifying her actions in light of that relationship?

Yes, I realize that that makes me the very hypocrite the characters push back against in the book: not being able to be human and error, and struggle, and inshaAllah come back to Allah, swt, I know that, but I also know that our  youth are impressionable and we want to inspire them, not give them a “pass” through a fictional story to do haram because Allah swt is forgiving.  I also know that a 13 year old reading this and a 19 year old reading this will view it very differently  (see opening paragraph why my mindset going in was a disservice that I struggled to overcome, and why I mentioned that this is a mature read).  I also know that life, real life, is never linear and clear, and yeah people fall in love with people that are not Muslim, I’m the daughter of a convert, and my parents met in college, I get the hypocrisy, I own it, I really do.

I can’t reiterate enough how many of the points I loved about her finding herself, understanding and connecting to her deen and extended family, laughing in the relatability the book has in its commentary on Islamophobia, expectations, politics, but none-the-less, I ultimately cannot support the normalized conclusions and justifications of many of the threads.

FLAGS:
See opening paragraph

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Not appropriate for Islamic school book clubs, I can see perhaps college or University MSAs reading it for fun and then offering up their thoughts as being an incredible pulse on how our “New Adult” Muslims view the themes and topics the book tackles, but I take handing a book to a person as an amanah, and I don’t think I could hand this to a middle or high school student.

Mar14

My Prophet ﷺ , Myself by Dana Nass illustrated by Zainab Arshad

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My Prophet ﷺ , Myself by Dana Nass illustrated by Zainab Arshad

I truly cannot figure out this title, and am hoping someone can explain it to me. With that being said, the book, shukr Alhumdulillah, at least has a Bibliography. For nonfiction reads, I have begun to check that first, and then decide whether to read the book. After a few chapters though, the book was reading a little stilted, so I read the author’s bio on the back, and then it started to make more sense.  The book is divided into 21 virtues, and little vignettes of RasulaAllah’s life are shared that support the theme of the chapter, but there isn’t a lot of discussion, or hand-holding. Each chapter defines the virtue, shares a bulleted list of how Prophet Muhammad ﷺ practiced the given topic, shares some example snapshots, then asks a few “Practical Application Questions.” Nothing wrong with it, the writing is decent, the stories of our Beloved obviously incredible, but when I saw that the author writes curriculums, it made more sense to me that, while this book might be for 6-12 year olds, it doesn’t necessarily mean most in that age range will sit down and read it cover to cover.  After reading the book, I found it to be a very useful tool though.  I can see teachers of after school programs, or Muslim summer camps, or Sunday schools working through a lesson a class period khatira style, or in a discussion where the children can discuss what they understood about the stories shared of the Prophet, their understanding of the virtues in their own lives, and how they can be more aligned with the life of the best teacher and example, inshaAllah.

The book is 128 pages and the soft back binding is large 11 x 7, making it easy to hold and read if addressing an audience.  There are a few illustrated pages to break up the text, and the little, presumably Rabata Firefly, buzzing around most pages.  The 21 virtues are Empathy, Trustworthiness, Self-Control, Contentment, Seeking Knowledge, Responsibility, Maintaining Ties of Kinship, Courage, Fairness, Generosity, Confidence, Grit, Honesty, Inclusivity, Loving for the Sake of Allah, Honoring Our Parents, Teamwork, Leadership, Kindness, Respect, and Gratitude.

Mar7

Mini Muslim Minds: Heart Germs & Gems by Zanib Mian illustrated by Hilmy an Nabhany

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Mini Muslim Minds: Heart Germs & Gems by Zanib Mian illustrated by Hilmy an Nabhany

These are not books that you hand to an elementary aged child to read independently, they are meant to facilitate conversation, gently guide, and be a tool in shaping awareness and emotional intelligence for our little believers.  I love that once again the author has filled a gap in our repertoire and made the information accessible, age appropriate, and easy to engage with.  We often use words like generosity, gratitude, stinginess, and fail to properly explain what they mean, what they look like, what they feel like, and how to counter them or make them grow.  These are not fictional stories with heavy moral themes, these are non-fiction self help books for little kids, that require the adults to share and tailor to the child(ren) or situation at hand.  With Eid around the corner I have spent a few evenings going through the generosity and gratitude books with my six year old and referencing it as his Eid list continues to grow out of control. And the format and voice, even though text heavy, work great one-on-one, I can also see this series working well in small groups and classrooms as they are short and relatable in presenting emotional intelligence. InshaAllah these are just the first three installments of the series.

The first few pages of each 24 page book are the same: A reference to a Hadith regarding good character admitting people into Paradise, explaining the concept of Heart Germs and Heart Gems, and giving time to explaining that there is the heart that beats, and the one that is the “place where all our big emotions happen.” The format has the illustrations on the left and the text on the right in the small 7.5 x 8 soft bound books.

Heart Germs & Gems: Generosity: The book first explains the concept of stinginess and links it to being afraid that you won’t have enough.  It shares ways to help determine if you are being stingy, and how it makes you feel. It then explores how to cure that Heart Germ with Generosity.  It provides little ways to start small and how it brings joy to others, pleases Allah swt and can lighten the heart, as you truly learn that everything comes from Allah swt.

Heart Germs & Gems: Gratitude: Alhumdulillah is not just knowing that everything is a gift from Allah swt, it is feeling happy and thankful for all of it. The book explains gratitude and then the opposite, the germ in the heart, of being ungrateful. It provides ways to be more grateful, encouraging that one notices the blessings in life.  There is an English translation of the verse in the Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim, “If you are grateful, I will give you more,” and then explains it in action and highlights how true happiness does not come from riches, but from gratitude and contentment.

Heart Germs & Gems: Anger: The book starts with how to calm your anger by first understanding why you got angry, how it feels, and how to calm it before it grows. It then takes a page explaining why controlling one’s anger is important, and what can happen when we don’t. It teaches Audhoobillhi minashaytan nirajeem as a tool to help along with taking deep breaths, changing our position, and making wudu. It then normalizes that anger is a something that everyone deals with and references that controlling it makes Allah swt happy and that Prophet Muhammad saw, said that those that can control their anger are strong. The book also shares that anger isn’t always bad and can motivate us to stand up for what’s right, and as long as we are in control of the emotion, it can be good.

Mar2

The Swallows of the Cube House by Sana Kamyar illustrated by Azam Vazehi

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The Swallows of the Cube House by Sana Kamyar illustrated by Azam Vazehi

With vibes of a folktale or myth, the imaginative story of how the swallows took up residence at the Kaaba is a sweet story with beautiful illustrations.  How the story actually reads though, is a bit awkward for me.  Told from the personified perspective of a swallow, it seemed a little odd that the names of the birds: Redbreast, Skytail, Whitewing, did not start appearing until page 12, the Kaaba is never named, and there really isn’t any religion articulated. The language is lyrical, which conveys the emotions of some of the worshippers that the swallows see, but also leaves it all so very vague.  The birds giggle and laugh (yes the word giggle appears frequently), happy that they found a new home that is like the mountains, the beach, and cities, this, along with kids playing, are the main takeaways, not even hinting that the Kaaba is a place that has everything to fill one’s heart or that the acts are being done in worship to Allah swt.  The culmination of it I felt needed to be stronger, why the swallows too are circling the house of Allah, swt, but it once again is so vague, and the final page breaking the fourth wall, unfortunately just seems unnecessary, it could have been done better with informative backmatter.

The book starts with a swallow telling the reader that, “One day it finally happened.”  Not sure what it is, the story then tells how the swallows fly from location to location liking certain aspects of the mountains and coast and forest and cities, and how being in one place though, makes them miss the other places.  They come to the “cube house” and all there needs are met by the sounds, the tears, the giggles, the playing of children, etc. and so they stay.

I could see the book being a decent starting point for discussion if it crossed in to talking about how animals worship the creator, or if it gave any backmatter about swallows and their environmental or migratory tendencies, so that readers could appreciate them settling in Makkah, or even if it talked about the parts of hajj or umrah, but as just a story imaging why they settled where they did, to me feels a little short.  That it is based on a real flock of birds is amazing and I just don’t think the text gets readers to truly appreciate it, and the illustrations, while wonderful, can’t do it all on their own.

 

Feb28

A Good Morning for Giddo by Dahlia Hamza Constantine and Irene Latham illustrated by Basma Hosam

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A Good Morning for Giddo by Dahlia Hamza Constantine and Irene Latham illustrated by Basma Hosam

Hold on, it is Friday morning, not super early, the sun is up, Giddo and Somaya stop in to visit a friend and when the athan is called from multiple minarets, the men pause to pray in his shop? At the end of the book, it is still morning, the parents are in their pajamas, so um, WHAT SALAT WAS THAT? Why mention that it is Friday if they are not going to salatul Jummah? Yeah, I review from an Islamic perspective, I know this is not the point or plot or theme of the book, but it is an early detail in a 32 page picture book, and I’m having a hard time getting past it, clearly. The book is beautifully illustrated by a Muslim, and the cultural story is by one Egyptian and one author who has visited Egypt, so I have no reason to question the OWN voice accuracy, but none-the-less, it doesn’t make sense and makes me wonder why we can’t get basic Islamic rep correct in a picture book.  The story itself is a shout out to Egyptian culture showing calligraphy, tourism, mosaic handicrafts, tentmaking, friendships amongst people of different religions, a sweet grandfather and grand daughter relationship, all in their morning quest to get to the tentmakers at the market. The plot unravels though at the end for me, I think it sounds good to have SPOILER Somaya need a little help with her surprise birthday gift for her Giddo, but it seemed rushed in its conclusion for as flowy as the build up was. And that she needed help with a final knot, seemed a little weak of a premise for the urgency to get to the tentmakers at all. I know I’m being picky, but sensitivity readers exist precisely for these details, and it should not go unchecked.  The end has a “Glossary” and a “More About Ancient Egyptian Arts” section, but I really was hoping for something about the one upping thread of greeting that is present throughout the book, “good morning,” “good morning with roses,” good morning with roses and jasmine,” etc. as I think that is a tidbit of Arab culture that readers will wonder about while reading, but maybe not quite fully grasp.

The book starts with Somaya rushing into the kitchen to great her Giddo and get to the tentmakers with him.  Her grandfather though is not in any real hurry.  They head in to the old market, taking in the sights an sounds and then head in to Hajj Mohammed’s shop.  He has been sad since his son moved, and after he encourages her to write, and he and Giddo pray (not sure why Somaya does not join them), they are back in the market heading toward the tentmakers.  But first they wave to Ismail on his bike, and then stop in “for only one minute” to have tea with Ostaz Gergis and Mariam and see their abalone inlays.

When they finally reach the tentmakers in the market, it is revealed that Giddo is a most respected tentmaker, and when someone asks him a question, Somaya uses the distraction to get help with a final knot on a piece she has been working on.  The pair head home and are greeted with Mama and Baba holding a cake and wishing Giddo a happy birthday. Somaya gifts her piece to her grandfather and proclaims that she too is now a tentmaker.

The story is sweet, the illustrations adorable, it just needed a lit more polishing, some tweaking to get the Islam right, and more fleshing out of the ending, so that it felt satisfying and not rushed.

 

Jan22

A Ramadan Night by Nadine Presley illustrated by Asma Enayeh

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A Ramadan Night by Nadine Presley illustrated by Asma Enayeh

 

This 40 page picture book balances prose and lyrical language with touchpoints that young children will recognize and relate to.  Using the senses of sound, sight, and smell, a young boy, Sami, seeks to understand what his father means by his remark, that it “feels like a Ramadan night,” as they head off for Taraweeh at the masjid.  The silliness of the little boy asking the moon, the sidewalk, the echoes, the carpet, and more personified inanimate objects, unearths a deeper more resonate layer of faith, community, and connection. The joy felt in Ramadan through acts of fasting all day, praying all night, giving charity, and being with others, is not easy to articulate. And this book not only takes you on a journey through Sami finding his answers, but with a little prodding, will urge Muslim children, and adults, to try and describe their own emotional attachment to the blessed month, while at the same time, also being a wonderful choice to share with non Muslims who often cannot understand that even children are genuinely excited for the worship in Ramadan, that is not yet required of them.  The bright engaging illustrations and the culminating universal climax of sweets, brings the occasionally overly flowery language back to a child’s level and grounds it.  Sami finds his answer as the night unfolds moving the story along and with the unapologetic Islamic centering of the religious month, I can’t wait for my physical preorder to arrive, so that I can share it with my community this Ramadan.  The book releases in a few days and I hope you too will preorder, or request from your library, to signal to the publisher that we want unapologetic Islamic representation, and will support the books that are well crafted, appealing, and Islam centered. 


Set in Syria, the book starts with Sami and his father sitting outside eating together, when Sami’s father says that it “feels like a Ramadan night.” Sami isn’t so sure, but his father isn’t about to offer a simple reply, and instead urges him as they head out the door to Taraweeh, to find his own answer.  So Sami asks the crescent moon, who tells him that, “Ramadan nights are lights.” Sami isn’t so sure, but but he sees the golden lanterns glittering, and faithful hearts shining and eyes twinkling as his foot steps make noise on the sidewalk. This has him ask the sidewalk next.  Where he is made aware of the eager steps, and celebrating streets full of hope. His own feet bring him closer to the masjid where echoes of laughter are heard.  The echoes, when asked, speak of peace, and so Sami’s journey continues through salat, playing outside, and delighting in sweets, before returning to his “hug of a home” and knowing in his heart what a Ramadan night feels like to him.



The heartfelt warmth, contentment, and love of Ramadan radiates through the book’s language and illustrations. The melding of story, with Islamic centering, and a little boys journey makes the book authentic and delightful, alhumdulillah. 

Jan17

Together on Eid by Sana Rafi illustrated by Mariam Quraishi

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Together on Eid by Sana Rafi illustrated by Mariam Quraishi

I know it has become increasingly commonplace to have Eid and Ramadan books completely devoid of religion, but I will continually point it out, as it breaks my heart to see books about our beloved religious holidays lacking any spirituality, religious framing, or Islamic references. This book would work for either Eid al Fitr or Eid al Adha as it focuses, as the title suggests, being together on Eid and all the food, clothes, and feels that being together entails. The book is organized with headings: “Eid is a gathering,” and “Eid is a party we dress up for,” and “Eid is a home.”  There are six in all, that are then fleshed out with supporting details and examples that reinforce the topic sentence so to speak.  Food is detailed, clothes are highlighted, togetherness is celebrated and, memories are shared, and made on this day, that is ultimately “a gift.” The setting is a Pakistani home with cultural identifies sprinkled in, but still very vague in any specific traditions outside of a few instances of vocabulary.  The illustrations define the clothes and foods mentioned and while I don’t love the flowing illustrations, there is nothing wrong them, they just are not my style.  The book could work for a non Muslim gathering, but I would hope that if you are sharing a story and introducing a group to Eid, that one would pick a story that will at least articulate that Eid is an Islamic holiday.

The book shows a family: mom and dad, a little girl and little boy and paternal grandma. It starts with warm hugs, and getting dressed up for the holiday, then when the feast portion starts, extended family joins the pages. Dadi Amma is then joined by all of her grown sons, who she recalls being little just a short wile ago.  The focus of the book becomes a little preachy at this point, as it turns to the grandma reminding the little boy never to forget the day as she hands him his Eidi.  Throughout the dad is taking pictures of the family, and the book ends with the little boy asleep cradling a picture.

I don’t hate the premise of the book.  It is nice to see that it isn’t all presents and big Eid extravagances that mark the day as memorable, but rather it is the family and being together.  Even the feast is not over bearing on the day, as they don’t spend the whole day in the kitchen. The roti comes from a store, not hand-made and the Eidi is enveloped in love, not accompanied with a wish list of what the money will be spent on.  I just wish there was some Islam.  Something to give little Muslim kids a traditionally published book that didn’t erase the very point of the holiday.  And yes I know some people will like that it is completely secular, but I am reviewing as an Islamic School Librarian, and find it either a missed opportunity by the author, or token rep by the publisher.

Perhaps also worth mentioning is, the book info online states the book is 32 pages, but it is only 20 pages of story, which isn’t me being picky, I point it out because it reads and feels short.  The backmatter is only the author’s and illustrator’s notes, which begs the question, why not add informational pages about Eid, the vocabulary, the faith, or even more of what makes the holiday so memorable and picture worthy?  I don’t know that this book really makes the case that Eid is a memorable holiday, seems like most any weekend in a big family home, which is unfortunate.

Jan10

Upside-Down Iftar by Maysa Odeh illustated by Nadina Issa

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Upside-Down Iftar by Maysa Odeh illustated by Nadina Issa

This 32 page picture book is beautifully illustrated and set in Ramadan with the premise being Teta can’t fast because of a new medication she is on, so Malak, who is also not fasting, and her are going to make makloubeh for iftar.  From there the story follows most food centered books with everyone adding their favorites until the iftar meal is one of a kind and brings the family together.  The Palestinian rep in the illustrations, and the mention of asr and maghrib salat, along with the refrain of “inshallah” and Arabic phrases threaded throughout make for a joyful read any time of the year. Unfortunately the first page was hard for me to get past.  Why is Mama staying “up late singing prayers in her closet” a sign for the little girl that it is Ramadan? Why is she singing prayers? Why is she in a closet? Alhumdulillah, the rest of the story was less awkward and I love that it highlights that sometimes ailments and medications make fasting not possible.  The messaging that every family is unique, just like makloubeh is relatable and easy for kids to grasp as well.  The backmatter contains a recipe, the dust jacket slips off to show a vertical filling of the pot with “everything Makloubeh” and the detailed illustrations will both introduce some kids to the popular dish, and celebrate a favorite familiar meal for others.

The book starts with the moon smiling her Cheshire cat smile and Ramadan beginning.  This is the first year that Teta is not fasting, and Malak decides she will have Teta teach her how to make iftar, but not just any iftar, upside down Makloubeh!

It starts out with Teta explaining the process and getting started, but then Jido comes in and wants eggplant added. Then khalo sneaks in to let them know that he likes potatoes in his. When Mama gets home from work with cauliflower, she is swept off to pray asr, and Malak decides she wants to add her favorite to the mix.

When Maghrib athan time comes, the big reveal, the flip, and then the first bites take place, revealing a “makloubeh with a little bit of everything.” A dish so yummy that Teta and Malak might be making iftar every night.

Jan4

Ramadan Rain by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow illustrated by Aliaa Betawi

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Ramadan Rain by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow illustrated by Aliaa Betawi

This 40 page book is all the feels as little Haneen’s Ramadan duas change from the material to the heartfelt while the rain pours down, taraweeh prayers are made, fun is had, and hearts are touched.  In true Thompkins-Bigelow fashion the book presents in layers that pull the emotional threads without turning didactic and preachy. The adorable illustrations complement the text and by the page when the characters are crying, I too, found tears in my eyes. I love that praying, duas, and practicing Islam is not sidelined, as current Ramadan and Eid books seem to do, but rather centered and celebrated as a source of comfort and joy. For the most part the external catalyst moving Haneen’s internal change were seamless, but the page with the little boy pointing and calling the drawings on her card naked, seemed a little jarring to the tone, even though I can see the function it served. I also acknowledge that a physical version might not make it as abrupt. Additionally it is worth noting the very nature of reviewing is to over think, so to be completely honest, by about the fifth reading I began to wonder, did her perspective change? There was no pivotal moment that set it in motion, it seemed she just got carried away in making the Eid card and never got to articulate what she really wanted to her mom. The initial dua is for the shoes that the family can’t afford, which I already felt was inconsistent because when asking Allah swt nothing is impossible, and the whole premise is that it is Ramadan and on top of that raining, but that aside, even when she first draws them, she states that it isn’t what “she really wants.”  So now, I’m wondering if anything really changed at all, or she just never clarified and thus the reader as well  her mom are taken along from Ramadan night to Eid day.  Also in the arc I read, it seemed a word was missing on page three that will hopefully be fixed in the final version. I love the tone and the warmth, and I know most won’t read it as deep as me, but the publication is not until March and I wonder, and hope, a few tweaks might still take place.  When my pre order arrives, I will revisit the review if need be, and yes, even with my critiques, I think this is a book that will delight all ages this Ramadan and give plenty to reflect on throughout the year.

The book starts with a grumpy Haneen sitting on a bus, walking in the rain, and arriving at the masjid a little wet and muddy recalling when they had a car and things were easier.  She starts to complain but catches herself knowing that they can’t afford things, and Momma tells her that, “rain brings blessings.”  She also reminds Haneen that duas said on a rainy day get answered, especially during Ramadan.

Once in the masjid, Momma reads Quran and Haneen starts to make duas for the shoes she wants but knows they can’t afford when she is distracted by friends, and they start making Eid cards. They children work together, and when it is pointed out that Haneen’s stick figure has shoes, but no cloths, she marvels at the different dressed women around her, before adding her favorite to the picture, wondering if she can get new clothes for Eid.  The pattern continues, she sees the twins with plush toys, and thus plushies are added to her wants, and filled in on her Eid card, as the congregation moves from athan, to iftar, to salat, to taraweeh.

When Eid comes, SPOILER gifts come from unexpected places, and a new card, showing what Haneen really wanted and prayed for that rainy Ramadan night are revealed, alhumdulillah.