Tag Archives: 2024

Mar21

Until You Find the Sun by Maryam Hassan illustrated by Anna Wilson

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Until You Find the Sun by Maryam Hassan illustrated by Anna Wilson

I don’t know that this book is particularly unique or mind blowing, but I read a digital copy a few weeks ago and was surprised when some tears fell, I read it when I got the physical copy to my kids and my throat caught again, and here I am writing this review and feeling all vulnerable.  It is as if I too am a little girl in a new place missing her grandfather on the other side of the world, which clearly I’m not.  The book is sweet, and moving, and I find myself emotionally invested every time I read through the 32 pages and get lost in the large sweeping illustrations.  The book is not Islamic, there are a few hijabis in the background and text that articulates friends saying salaam before the girl moves.  Additionally, the main character’s name is Aminah, and the author is of Pakistani decent, and has a Muslim sounding name.  The story though, at its core is universal, heartfelt, reassuring, hopeful, and lovely to share in all spaces. It begs to be read aloud and holds the attention of toddlers to early elementary aged children.

The book starts with a happy little Aminah in a bright sparkly environment of sunshine, mangoes, and salaams.  Every night she listens to Da’s stories of adventure as she snuggles next to her grandfather.  One day she finds out they are moving, going on an adventure.  Only Da won’t be joining them and Aminah is devastated.

The new home is gray, and cold, and no adventure at all.  She wants to go back, but Da reassures her during their nightly conversations that things will get better.  And sure enough, with a bit of bright yellow inspiration, she starts to discover the adventures awaiting in her new home.

Kids will find the end hopeful and resolved, but I somehow found it a little bittersweet.  Da loves his grand daughter and wants her happy, but the adult me, realizes their relationship will never be the same, and Da will miss her in many ways, alone, as she embarks on her own life.  I know I’m projecting, but the ability to see both perspectives adds a nice layer to the book.

The book is available here from Amazon and will be in local libraries in June 2024.

Mar18

The Muslim Girl’s Pocket Guide to Growing Up by Yasmin El-Husari illustrated by Noon Eltoum

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The Muslim Girl’s Pocket Guide to Growing Up by Yasmin El-Husari illustrated by Noon Eltoum

I still get asked fairly frequently about maturation books for Muslim kids. Boys are another story, but for girls, I’ve always had to settle on a non Muslim book that gives an introduction and some conversation starters, bur rely on the adult to provide the Islamic perspective.  Alhumdulillah, those days are over, I can now recommend this 47 page book as a great resource to hand to a young Muslim girl to read independently and/or together with a trusted adult.  The conversational text, the Islamic centering, the complimentary subtle illustrations, allow the book to be informative, but not intimidating.  For girls on the cusp of puberty it shows them what to expect and it normalizes what they are going to experience in terms of body changes and hygiene, all within an Islamic framework.  I do wish that it noted if scholars approved the text.  The author is a teacher and the illustrator an MD, but a statement at the beginning asserting the accuracy would give additional credibility to the contents.  In full disclosure, the author was my daughter’s teacher, but none of my kids are currently in her class, and I purchased the book on my own.  Truly the book is so desperately needed, the fact that it is well done is something I am happy to share, and inshaAllah, inshaAllah a book for boys will be forthcoming.

The book starts with an introduction from the author and then a table of contents.  Growing Up, Seeing Spots, A Hairy Situation, Body Safety, A Sweaty Dilemma, Tahaarah!, Periods: The Big Change, Periods in Islam, Discharge, Feminine Protection, Bra Measuring Guide, and Glossary.  There is not a lot of talk about moods, emotions, friendships (relationships), it really is streamlined to cover the body’s changes and practical tips through an Islamic lens.

The tone is very reassuring that what a girl is experiencing or about to experience is normal, something all women go through, nothing to be embarrassed about, and nothing to feel isolated by.  Even the glossary reinforces this this tone by explaining the medical terms and Islamic terminology used.  If a girl reads it alone, she will get that messaging, and hopefully feel empowered to embrace her changes and reach out if needed.  If one is reading it with an adult, the book lends itself easily to discussions that can be more specifically tailored to the young girl, or even a group of girls.

It talks about hijab and provides a chart about who can see you with and without, I’m a bit confused by young children being in both categories, I’m not sure if I am missing something or if it is a mistake.** I also feel like the chapter headings and the section subheadings are not clear as the font, color, and text size are often the same.  The book is small and short, it can be read in one sitting or thumbed through, so the chapters are not particularly necessary, but if it has a table of contents and headings, I feel they should be different in appearance for consistency and ease.

The book is currently available here on Amazon.

**UPDATE FROM AUTHOR:

*Correction Post
Assalamu Alaikum readers both past and present. Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your support and engagement with The Muslim Girl’s Pocket Guide. We had a reader reach out to us pointing out a typo in the text last week. Alhamdulillah that mistake is now corrected. Any book ordered after March 14th should be the correct version of the text. If you bought a copy with the printed mistake it can be returned to Amazon and repurchased inshallah. Again, I appreciate all of your support and Jazakum Allahu Khair 🦋
Mar16

Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy

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Six Truths and a Lie by Ream Shukairy

Woah baby, that was a wildly fantastic ride of a read.  The very first page grabs you and makes you sit up and pay attention.  I have never been so happy to sit in a waiting room so that I could read in peace.  This 387 page book is mature YA, I was gifted the knowledge prior to reading that there is a line that is toed, possibly stepped on, but not carelessly crossed, so I will gift that knowledge on to you, so that you might enjoy the story without that anxiety. Told from numerous perspectives, a group of Muslim teens find themselves arrested for an act of terror.  Strangers from different schools, different backgrounds, and different dreams for their future, are fiction, but their stories, their secrets, the broken system that they find themselves in, all feels very real.  The plausibility and commentary from an OWN Muslim author is incredible, I do wish their was more spiritual centering, Islamic framing, or even a more Muslim conscience present. Some of the characters do discuss hijab and one does find solace in prayer, but none of them really pour their heart out to Allah swt in the isolation of their cells, and in the predicament they are placed in, and it seems like they would.  Ultimately though the writing is remarkable, it has been a long time since I was truly tempted to skip ahead and read the last few pages because my heart was racing.  There is just one storyline thread that is so overly emphasized that comes close to a haram line, that I wish was a little down played so that I, as an Islamic school librarian, could encourage younger teens to pick up the book and dive in.

SYNOPSIS:
It is the fourth of July, and the MSA kids from the local different high schools are gathering at the beach for bonfires, fireworks, and socializing.  Everyone present will witness a crime, six teens though will be accused of committing it.  Qays, the Palestinian golden soccer boy who can charm everyone and anyone.  Nasreen, the outcast from a private Catholic school there to meet someone.  Samia the hijab wearing social media star. Muzhda the Afghan refugee with undocumented parents.  Zamzam the girl with a singular dream to be a doctor, and Abdullahi, the quiet EMT in training.  Six strangers whose histories and alibies link them to the outside world, but leave them skeptical of one another as they face charges in a world not concerned with the truth.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the characters are Muslim and feel so real and developed. The characters are not tropes or their families stereotypical.  They know what Islamophobia faces them from others, they know what internalized issues they are dealing with, and they are not having a religious identity crises amidst everything else they are experiencing.  The writing allows each voice to be unique and clear, which is quite impressive as there are a lot of perspectives that move the plot along.  It is really hard to write a review that doesn’t spoil the book, so yes I’m being vague, and you are welcome.

FLAGS:

There are a lot of profanities not just when the stakes are high, but normalized as well throughout.  There are close relationships between boys and girls.  They take about dating.  There is weed, and the legalities of using, being in possession, and being high.  There is lying, death, incarceration, Islamophobia, some physical abuse mentioned.  There is a story line of a girl that doesn’t know if she is attracted to girls, she doesn’t act on it, but it is something that has tangled up her alibi and she choses not to explore it, but it keeps coming back up.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would be an awesome mature YA book club, just like some of the characters are being held in juvie and some being tried as adults, I think for Muslim readers a little older will benefit and be able to process, discuss, and see themselves in the book.  The book mentions that it could happen to anyone, and for a Muslim audience, to recognize and discuss that concept would be beneficial and engaging.

Mar12

Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua illustrated by Natalya Tariq

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Khadija and the Elephant Toothpaste Experiment by Farah Qaiser and Hajer Nakua illustrated by Natalya Tariq

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This 26 page book is set on Eid, it does not specify Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, but it isn’t overly impactful on the story outside of the framing, so really it is a non issue.  The book shows a Muslim family and is a benefit for appealing to women and girls in science, unfortunately it has some plot holes though.  A big point of the book is the girl, Khadija, wondering if she can be a scientist who wears hijab because she doesn’t see any scientists at the fair wearing one. When she voices this concern to her parents, her father reassures her saying, “Anyone can be a scientist.  Scientists can wear a hijab like Amma, or glasses like me.”  First of all, I don’t like it equating hijab to glasses, hijab is a religious practice, not a tool to help you see or an accessory.  I’m well aware not every book has to have Islam centered, but I do worry that if hijab is relegated to an article of clothing, and Khadija doesn’t wear hijab, that readers might just be confused and not be able to connect the dots.  With weak writing, a confusing premise, and a climax of doing an experiment, that is not included for the readers to do at home, included in the book; I am struggling to recommend this for every bookshelf.  It isn’t a bad read, it just should be better.  I love the joyful engaging illustrations, I like the female Muslim science representation even. I just ultimately think the weak writing drags the book down and will have some kids confused why she is worried about a scarf she doesn’t wear impeding on a career she doesn’t have, and be unable to see that as a Muslima she will want to wear hijab as an act of worship when she grows up.

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The book starts with Khadija and her family heading to her school for the science fair after Eid salah.  She sees lots of scientists, but notices none wearing hijab.  She gets a science kit to do at home and then the family starts to prepare for guests coming over for dinner.

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Khadija can’t wait to do her experiment so she quietly gathers up supplies, and heads to the bathroom to make elephant toothpaste. It works, a little too well, but then it is everywhere and mom and dad show up to help her clean.  Khadija wonders if she is not cut out to be a scientist.  Mom and dad console her, the people arrive for an Eid party, and her parents and her do the experiment for all to see.

The story is pretty straightforward, but I sure have a lot of questions: why is the “big day” the science fair and not Eid.  It is at her school but the science fair is not students sharing projects, but professional scientists? And does she purchase a science kit, why does her mom give it to her at the fair, but then she asks the scientist is she can do it at home? What else did she see or learn at the science fair, she just went saw scientists in lab coats, got the kit and left?  How was it still morning when she got home after the fair, after Eid salah?  There is a whole page of her getting an Eid gift and squealing with delight, but never shares what the gift is.  I also really, really wish it had the experiment in the book. I want to know what it is and why it is called, “elephant toothpaste.” I truly do not know why this book has no backmatter.  Information about women in science, how to do the experiment, maybe something about hijab or Eid. A link or scannable QR code to see the experiment would have even added something to increase knowledge and excitement for science, representation, and dreaming big.

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Mar9

Celebrations and Festivals: Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr by Sara Khan illustrated by Nadiyah Suyatna

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Celebrations and Festivals: Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr by Sara Khan illustrated by Nadiyah Suyatna

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This 48 page, informational based book is told through a little girl explaining her Ramadan and Eid days in a fictionalized story format. The information is not new, nor is the framing, and it has my pet peeve  line of “Ramadan is the ninth month in the lunar calendar,” but aside from that, the book does a good job of showing the joy, the activities, the faith, and the importance without self-othering, unrealistic cluelessness, or watering down. For whatever predictability the story has, the back matter is excellent. The additional information about Islam, the crafts, and even the quiz, make this book a standout in a crowded category. The book does not talk down to readers and thus works for Muslim and non Muslims alike. It also is unapologetic and informative making it a good book to share with non Muslim classrooms wanting to learn about Ramadan without crossing into “preaching.” The illustrations are warm and joyful bringing the lengthy book to life.

The story starts with Raya introducing Ramadan and then herself to the reader. She then details her Ramadan day. From sighting the moon to doing the good deed suggestions on the countdown calendar. It explains Allah swt and that adults are required to fast but kids are not. Raya spends time exploring how hard it is to skip snacks, but remains hopeful that when she is ready to fast she will be able. Her father also reminds her about other aspects of Ramadan and being on your best behavior as Raya helps set the table, donates to charity, and reads Quran. Throughout it all, informative details about Muslims are threaded through. Focusing on Raya herself also breaks some stereotypes as she discusses the joy found in a wide variety of foods from many cultures, Eid prep, looking for the moon, having henna put on, and heading out for Eid prayers and festivities. There are numerous details universal to all Muslims presented, as well as unique highlights specifics to Raya’s family such as showing the family bowling and reflecting on mini golf last year, activities that even her grandparents can participate in.

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The robust back matter starts with Fun Facts about Islam, stats about Muslims, details about the five pillars, etc.. The next two page spread is about the lunar calendar and has a pullout bubble explaining the use of the phrase “peace be upon him.” Then there are directions for a pop-up Ramadan card, Then information about the month of Mercy, Laylat al-Qadr, paradise, a recipe for Ramadan Cookies, info about Masjids, and finally a quiz, with answers.

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I like that the book balances showing joy through Raya’s personal experience, with facts about Ramadan, Eid, and Islam. I also like that Raya knows all this, my hatred of the formulaic child waking up and wondering why her family is up so early eating breakfast or a child wanting to fast and the family not supporting them is not widely realistic, and I appreciate that this book feels very reflective of what our kids feel, experience, and know about the blessed month. I also like that it features food, but does not dwell on it, and yes there are presents for Eid, but again it doesn’t make it the central factor in the joy she is feeling of being with her family.

Mar8

Noura’s Crescent Moon by Zainab Khan illustrated by Nabila Adani

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Noura’s Crescent Moon by Zainab Khan illustrated by Nabila Adani

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I know, I know, another Ramadan book about the moon and a little girl’s first fast, but this one is slightly different.  The moon they are searching for is the Eid moon and the focus is on whether they will see it and Eid will begin, or if there is one more day of fasting.  The story itself would not make sense if it wasn’t Ramadan and the characters Muslim, but the story only subtly sprinkles in bits of Islam, the backmatter though, is where the Islam really shines.  The tone of the book with the lyrical text and full color illustrations is very relatable to Muslims that both want to see the moon and celebrate, while at the same time being sad the the blessed month of Ramadan is over.  It comes from a Desi centric approach to the foods, and traditions, but their aren’t a lot of Urdu words used either, and those that are, are defined at the end.  The book works for Muslims and non Muslims, and would benefit both groups with a bit of discussion. Overall, not a particularly memorable book, but one that stands out for focusing on the tradition of looking for the moon and being together as a family.

I love that the notes at the end do mention that Muslims fast to “show love and obedience for the Creator,” under the Ramadan header.  The other backmatter headings are Eid ul-Fitr, Suhoor, Iftar, Chaand Raath, Pakora, Gulab Jamun, Sheer Khurma, and The Islamic Calendar and the New Moon.  A lot of space is dedicated to food, explaining those mentioned in the story.  It gets it right that Muslims begin fasting at dawn, it shows mom not wearing hijab at home, but wearing it when they go out, yet, it doesn’t just say the maghrib athan it refers to it as the “call for the twilight prayer.”  And it doesn’t mention or show them praying, which would have been a nice inclusion.

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The book starts with Noura playing outside and her tummy rumbling on this 29th day of Ramadan, and her first fast.  Mama, Papa and Noura all help make and pack up iftar, as they get ready to go look for the Eid moon.

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Before they go, Mama shows Noura her new dress, and they add some henna cones to the items they are taking, they then set out to the countryside.  All along, Noura is hoping to see the moon and her parents are reminding her how rare it is to see it.

When they get to the hill there are other families already there, and Noura has done it, completed her first fast.  Unfortunately the moon is not there as hoped, or is it?

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I wish some duaas or Islamic expressions, and salat would have made it into the book, but the large hardback size makes this a good book to read at story times, and a nice way to explain why we don’t know when we will miss school to celebrate Eid, or how many days we will fast.

Mar7

A Little Golden Book: Ramadan: A Holy Month by Malik Amin illustrated by Debby Rahmalia

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A Little Golden Book: Ramadan: A Holy Month by Malik Amin illustrated by Debby Rahmalia

As a child I had a stack of Little Golden Books, my libraries always have a good part of a shelf with Little Golden Books, my own kids have a few dozen of them, but honestly I don’t know that I love any of them, aside from the Monster at the End of the Book.  They are a staple, they have spanned generations, but I always find them a bit abrupt, the text to small and dense, and the vocabulary a little too advanced. So, on the one hand I am thrilled that this timeless brand has a Ramadan title, but on the other hand, some of the food descriptions contain vocabulary a bit advanced for the recommended 2-5 year olds.  If you have been reading my 2024 Ramadan and Eid reviews, you will however be glad to know that this Ramadan book, does pack a lot of information into the pages, and when it asks why do Muslims fast? It says unequivocally “because it is written in the holy book called the Qur’an.” Suhoor is said to be before the sun even rises at one point, and then dawn at another, but then, however, it kind of equates dawn and sunrise, I’ll let it pass, cause it is a little vague with the equating, after saying when we eat clearly. My only real gripe are the food tangents, detailing not to eat fried and salty foods at suhoor, to they hyper specific “creamy curries, fresh soups, and rich stews. Fragrant rice dishes paired with grilled meat or kofta” at iftar.  Yeah it almost seems like the author wrote the book while fasting, with food heavily on his mind.   It does mention doing extra good deeds, more prayers, and it reads as an easy non fiction book.  It doesn’t try and interject the information into a fictionalized framing, it just tells about Ramadan.  It would be nice though, if it was sourced, but with the reasonable price point and accurate information, makes it a solid book to add to gifts and to share.

The story is told in the first person and opens with a family searching the sky for the moon. It then says in a single paragraph on a two page spread that “during Ramadan, Muslims eat and drink only when it is dark.”  It then asks why? Answering on the next spread with, “the Qur’an.”  It says that it is read in many different languages, which technically isn’t wrong, but I wish it would have said that it is written in Arabic. It continues to say that “the Qur’an tells us how to be Muslim.” To care for people, to pray. to fast, but that children and those that are sick aren’t required.

It then details foods to eat and foods to avoid for suhoor before returning to the more spiritual aspects and traditions of being kind and giving charity.  It explains Ramadan Mubarak and then finds its way back to foods, highlighting iftar drinks and foods.

Ramadan is a month, followed by Shawwal and then the celebration of Eid, making sure to note that on Eid we cook our favorite foods.

Overall, a lot of information clearly conveyed, with bright, fun, joyful illustrations.  The final page is a gloassary of words and phrases.  I purchased my copy here on Amazon.

Mar5

The Ramadan Drummer by Sahtinay Abaza illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova

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The Ramadan Drummer by Sahtinay Abaza illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova

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This book reads very much like an early work in progress.  It doesn’t seem to know if it wants to be a book about foods and hunger in Ramadan, or about a Ramadan drummer waking people up for suhoor, or being a fantasy where you can hear people’s thoughts in your dreams and when you awaken you can get blessings for being kind.  Sure maybe it could be all of the above, unfortunately as written, it falls short in being much of a cohesive story at all.  Many of the details have no baring on the plot, the transitions from food, and fasting and pants feeling tight to dreaming about the Ramadan drummer that he heard about once in passing, is very abrupt and none of the children I read it to ages four to eight could sit through it. With no Islamic centering it is never clear other than to “think of the poor,” why this small child is fasting, and who is going to be doing the rewarding for kindness in Ramadan.  For Muslim and non Muslim kids alike, this book will not make much sense, I’m afraid, nor be memorable, even if they can get through it. The idea of a Ramadan Drummer appears in a lot of books, and perhaps this fantasy reinterpretation could have been fun, but with the lack of Islamic content, a clear story line, and the focus being on hunger, the book doesn’t do much for me.

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The book starts out with Adam being hungry, his stomach is a wild beast, roaring and grumbling for food.  He is told fasting helps people think of the poor, but he can’t “think on an angry stomach.”  The next two pages are about food, then his aunt and uncle come over, wishing everyone a “blessed Ramadan,” and then they break their fast. No Salams are given, iftar is not named, but they mention a Ramadan drummer. Adam is eating so much his pants are tight, they then pull out dessert.  That night he can hardly fall asleep because he ate more cookies than he should.  The lack of self control is an odd thing to stress without any insight into moderation, especially in Ramadan when controlling the nafs is such a present test.

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That night he dreams he meets the Ramadan drummer, they listen to the wants and thoughts of the neighbors, he wakes up in the morning to pancakes and then he responds to what he learned in his dream.  It is sweet that he spreads kindness to the neighbors, with the Ramadan drummer only having to tell him, “during Ramadan, every act of kindness is reward tenfold.”  I have no idea if Adam is already kind and this was just extra motivation, it never says who will be doing the rewarding, I wish it shared what was being chanted to wake people up, and I wondered if this is going to be an every night occurrence, but alas there are no answers.

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The book ends with Adam still hungry, but his heart being full whereas his stomach is not.  There is then a lengthy Author’s Note that mentions “Muslims will not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset,” clearly getting the start time wrong.  Throughout the text it says “before sunrise” leaving the time a bit vague, but not wrong.  The Illustrator’s Note calls a Mullah, a Muslim priest, which struck me as odd.

It seems so odd to have a Ramadan book void of even basic religious mentions. Why would you stress about getting up, let alone getting up on time, if there are no rules and requirements to your fast. The whole reason for the fast is an act of worship, how the worship is done matters. By removing religion: the lack of salams, prayer, duas, connection to Allah, etc., it makes fasting seem like an act in isolation and it makes it just about food, which shortchanges the month of Mercy. Ramadan is joyful, it is so much more than a month of just being hungry.

Mar4

Ramadan Kareem by M.O. Yuksel illustrated by Hatem Aly

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Ramadan Kareem by M.O. Yuksel illustrated by Hatem Aly

The lyrical text that shows joy, Muslim joy, all over the world during the most wonderful time of the year is felt, truly truly felt in this rich, beautiful book. The illustrations, the text, the sentiment, it all comes together so splendidly, that when you turn the last page you want to start over again. Hundreds of people are wondering what book to read to their children’s public schools this year, what book to start off masjid story times this Ramadan, what book to read every night leading up to the blessed month to get their children excited, what book to hand to your children to look through so they can have a few more minutes of sleep and alhumdulillah to all the above, I whole heartedly suggest, this one. Even with the errors.  The book states “the Night of Power is better than a thousand nights,” and should read, better than a thousand months.  The backmatter says “by not eating or drinking anything from just before sunrise until sunset.”  The story itself though has it correct and says “suhoor is a predawn meal” and notes the “sun is still sleeping.”

A universal story of celebrating Ramadan, with waking up for suhoor, greeting neighbors, having self control, praying, volunteering, iftar, community.  It is a singular story, but each two page spread showing a child in a new country continuing the narrative.  The worship uniting us all as Muslims even while our unique traditions add diversity and layers to the acts that we share.

It starts with gazing at the new moon in Turkey and mom saying that the narrator can fast. The drummer than beats her drum and it it time to wake up in Egypt. The call to prayer and remembering you are fasting reaches Syria, and donations are given in Indonesia. In Spain Qur’an is read in abuela’s lap and neighbors are visited in the United States.  Donations are packed in Australia,  friends and family are visited in Pakistan, and kimchi after dates for iftar in South Korea.  It is then off to Iran for prayers, Laylatul Qadr in Senegal, and getting ready for Eid in Uzbekistan.  Palestine is the final stop as Eid joy erupts for Muslims everywhere.

The book is widely available, you can order yours here at Crescent Moon or here on Amazon

Mar3

Holiday History Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr by Marzieh A. Ali

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Holiday History Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr by Marzieh A. Ali

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Traditionally published non fiction Ramadan and Eid books have more errors than they should.  I was hopeful with this one, the author is a Muslim and accomplished author, and it started out good, but then it hyper fixated on the foods eaten which can never be accurate.  Muslims are everywhere in the world, and no two people like the exact same foods anywhere, not even siblings  So why it would so clearly articulate, without qualifiers, what Muslims eat for suhoor or iftar is beyond me.  I do not eat eggs, bread, and kebabs for suhoor, we tend to enjoy brownie sundaes and pizza, and dates, broth, and fruit for iftar, sure makes me wonder if my nachos or pesto, rendered my fasts invalid?  Snark aside, it takes away from the quality information in the book that highlights that while fasting Muslim kids go to school and adults to work.  I also don’t like the suggestion that Ramadan is a time to reflect, pray, cook for others, and help those in need. It truly reads that this is when we do it, as if it is the only time we do it, and not that we do these acts all year, but do it MORE in Ramadan.  I know, I’m being picky, but these types of books are standards in public and school libraries, and in a world where Muslims are by-and-large having to prove their humanity, words have power, and need to be conveying that we pray five times a day, and more in Ramadan.  That we help those in need all year long, and more in Ramadan. The book is only 23 pages long, so when it spends so much space on these items worded in this way, it really becomes the takeaway message.

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The book starts pretty well, with clear precise sentences telling that “Islam is a religion practiced by Muslims” and that “they believe in one God” (note in the book God is not capitalized). It has that “Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar,” which I am ok with in non fiction books. And tells that “more that 1,400 years ago, the Prophet Muhammad received the first verses of the Quran” and that “they were sent by Allah through angel Gabriel.” 

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We then get two pages about specific foods, and told “Ramadan is a time to help.”  “It is also a time to pray and reflect.  People go to mosques.  They read the Quran.  They talk about Islam.” Stated just like that.  Making it seem that only in Ramadan are these things done. The unqualified statements make it seem that just as “They read the Quran” “Children make paper lanterns.” Apparently it isn’t optional, or a fun craft, it is just what is done.

I like that the five pillars are included, I wish it gave the terms of shahada, and sawm, and salat, and zakat and hajj, “journeying to Mecca” is a bit vague, and not at all sufficient.  I don’t know about they weight of the symbols either.  Dates show the “importance of fasting.” No they are the sunnah.  The star on the crescent symbolizes “the night of Ramadan spent in worship.” I think the symbols are a stretch to be honest.

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Eid al Fitr is one day not three as the book states.  The next spread then revisits the food, as if Biriyani is only eaten on Eid and all Egyptians make baklava.  The end is a one page Quick Facts and Tools and a glossary.  I have once again sent an email to the publisher asking them to edit future reprints of the book. 

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