This 18 page chunky board book is about 7.5 x 7.5 inches and a little over an inch thick. Each spread features interactive touch, feel, lift, slide, and rotate features that keep little toddler hands engaged, while the text shares Ramadan basics. Interestingly enough though, the back says it is not for 0-3 year olds, presumably because parts could tear and be choking hazards, but making it unusable for the demographic(?).
It starts with a slider that reveals the Ramadan moon and encourages readers to find the moon in the sky. The next spread has you lifting a cover to see what Mummy has made for suhoor. The prayer mat is then pulled out, The Qur’an opened, Sadaqah collected, dates and chocolate rotated, masjid doors opened, and once again the moon slides into view to know it is time for Eid.
The illustrations are cute, the manipulatives are clever and not repetitive, but the flaps on any of the lift the flap reveals are incredibly thin, and the outer strip that holds the entire book is similarly skimpy and I don’t know how long it will hold up with regular use considering the thickness of the actual pages.
I would not know where to shelve this 40 page in a library, it has beautiful pictures, it is informative, resourceful, useful, and interesting- I’ve only delayed sharing it because I really have had to think, how best to use this book to its maximum potential, to make it truly effective. It is formatted externally as a picture book, but it reads much like an chapter book anthology with the stories connected by the road the diverse folks live on, Rahma Road, all coming together for a communal iftar, with some fasting and some not. The spreads feature vignettes on the left of what each house is making, including tidbits of culture, facts about Ramadan, insights about method or ingredients, with the facing page being the recipe. The book is incredibly meticulous and intentional in appealing to Muslims and non Muslims alike, as well as a variety of ages. It works as a book for Muslims to see themselves in, non Muslims to get a peek at iftaar excitement through, messages about community and diversity celebrated, foodies to see new recipes that they can try, cultures to explore through food and native words, a story framing to feel connection, I really could go on and on with the layers and inclusions this book provides, alhumdulillah. I think the best way to use and share the book is going to be for me to read it with my 5 and 9 year old children a week or so before Ramadan. Where I can read the story portion, getting us excited for Ramadan, slipping in some reminders, appreciating Islam’s global presence, and then talking about the recipes so that they can pick dishes to try in Ramadan and add needed ingredients to the shopping list (I wish I made the effort to be this organized all year long). I then will plan to leave the book out and have my teens flip through to find any recipes that they think sound good and will commit to making. The book would work all year long, but as a new release, I’m sharing my plan with hopes that it can help your family as well.
The book contains 25 globally inspired recipes, featuring 11 with accompanying stories. I absolutely love that at the bottom of the recipes are page numbers for additional items that would pair nicely, or be condiments or beverages or desserts for the dish. This allows easy personalization, fusion meals, and more importantly a way for different age groups to be able to help each other in the preparation. Maybe koshari is a bit advanced for your kid, but the mint lemonade paired with it might be something they can tackle a bit more independently.
The framing of everyone on the road coming together book ends with the neighbors sharing a meal at the end, I love the backmatter explaining Ramdan, about the recipes, even about Rahma Road. The message to the reader and the naming of consultants really is a credit to the time and effort put into this book.
A few of the dishes and countries featured are: Atayef from Palestine, African American Sweet Potato Pie, Nigerian Puff Puff, Japanese Temaki Sushi, Morrocan Harira, Uyghur Lamp Stir-Fry, Guatemalan Dobiadas, Turkish Chicken Gozleme, Malaysian Teh Tarik, Australian Mini Strawberry Pavlovas, South African Bunny Chow, Mexican Elotes .I can’t wait to report back if my plan was successful, if the dishes prepared were a hit, and ideas for further maximizing the use of the contents it contains.
At 224 pages, this middle grade graphic novel has a whole lot of heart. Seventh grade is not easy for anyone, and Hassan is balancing school, grades, soccer, fasting, and taraweeh every night, while dealing with friends, video games, cousins, and falling asleep in class. I love that this OWN voice book really centers Islam. It doesn’t shy away from showing the stresses that the character and presumably the readers of immigrant kids in public schools might encounter, right alongside stresses with Muslim cousins and friends at the masjid trying to pressure you to do something you don’t want to do. And as in any coming of age story, young Hassan does not want any special treatment or parents to get involved. SPOILER: Hassan does hide his faith and that he is fasting for Ramadan at school, he also does make mistakes, notably among them is when he breaks his fast in what he is told is a loophole of sorts, but by the end he grows and trusts and realizes he doesn’t have to do it all, all the time, and that he isn’t alone. The book is not heavy, but it has layers that serve as relatable mirrors and windows for kids who are going to thoroughly enjoy this richly illustrated book.
SYNOPSIS:
The story starts with seventh grader, Hassan dreaming about food, drooling on his arm, and then being woken up by his teacher, again. It is Ramadan and Hassan is fasting, going to taraweeh at night, trying to keep up with school and soccer, and on top of it all, he doesn’t want anyone to know. He also doesn’t have the latest version of the popular video game that all his friends have, and he has to explain to his childhood friend Rosie why it is no longer appropriate for them to hang out together. Nights and weekends with family and at the masjid should be a reprieve, but somehow even there he is the odd one out, opting to pray instead of play, and being unsure if closing your eyes while sneaking food really prevents Allah swt from seeing you eating like his cousins claim. Threaded through it all are soccer practices, games, and falling grades that are going to get him tossed off the team, making this a Ramadan to remember.
WHY I LOVE IT:
Wahoo, some Yemeni representation, I loved the flashback/dream longing for Yemen. I like that Hassan isn’t expecting adults or others to speak for him, and his heart is really in the right place. I did feel a bit of a disconnect though when his friends knew he fasted the previous year, why he wouldn’t just explain it was time again for him to do so. Increasingly even the most isolated western cities are aware of Ramadan, so I didn’t feel that hesitation for Hassan to own it, even when a friend explicitly asks. SPOILER, On a similar thread, his soccer coach is Muslim and their isn’t a huge sigh of relief and immediate kinship when the information is revealed. If Hassan really feels he is shouldering it alone, why wouldn’t this empower him to step into himself so to speak. I also didn’t understand why the end of the season pizza party wouldn’t have just been at iftar time. The book really had a chance to model how others can support their Muslim friends, and moving a food based celebration a few hours is an easy accommodation, but the Muslim coach didn’t even do it, so why would non Muslims.
When Hassan does sneak food during his fast, he gets away with it, but it doesn’t sit right with him and I think it is powerfully done, him coming clean also is not punished as it really is something between Hassan and Allah swt and I love how it is left to that. Regardless of if you feel it is required of a 7th grade boy or not, the ownership of faith I feel is more important than the getting in trouble by your parents in this case.
FLAGS:
Lying, failing grades, sneaks food during fasting, boy girl friendship, hints at internalized Islamophobia.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I wouldn’t do this as a book club, but would absolutely have it on shelves for kids to easily access, and I would absolutely discuss with them, what their takeaways were.
I was really enjoying this book about a determined young girl and her dad making samosas for friends, missing Dadijan, adapting and problem solving, an encouraging Urdu speaking parrot, a reference to Ramadan, and incredible illustrations… and then I froze. On page 32 of the 40 page book it says the word “pepperoni” clearly affirming that the Muslim girl who’s dupatta wearing Dadijan wakes up at fajr to call her, has made pepperoni pizza samosas for her friends. Perhaps I’m over reacting, it is one word, but I truly cannot get past it. The first time I recall asserting myself as Muslim was in preschool making pizzas and me telling my teacher at three and half years old that I cannot eat pepperoni. Sure as a middle aged adult, I know you can get beef or turkey or faux pepperoni, but the standard is pork, and this book does not clarify that it is not pork. The word is intentional, the story would be exactly the same if it were just a cheesy pizza samosa, yet it articulates it as a peperoni pizza samosa. And I truly cannot fathom why. Classrooms and libraries will shelve this book, teachers and librarians will read this book, little Muslim kids that look like Noor, are going to shrink when they get to that line: either they will question if we can have pepperoni (why else was it in Noor’s home), or have to now convince adults and classmates that the book is wrong in addition to explaining that Muslims do not eat pork, a big task for the intended audience of preschool to third grade. If you omit that one word, the book is wonderful, layered, joyful, and a lot of fun.
Noor’s friends are coming over, two girls and a boy, for the first time and Noor wants to make samosas to eat with them. It is too early to call Dadijaan in Pakistan, and Noor thinks she remembers how to make them. Abbu offers to order pizza, but Noor is determined, even when she discovers they don’t have the necessary ingredients. She puts on Dadijaan’s kitchen dupatta, and with her parrot, Mithoo, encouraging her every time she gets stuck with “Sab theek hai. Sab theek Hoga! Everything’s great, everything’s going to be okay!” Noor heads to plan B, Awe-Samosas, samosas with unique fillings.
Noor gets Abbu onboard and helping and when her friends arrive, the turmeric colored pastries are ready for eating. Some are apple-cinnamon filled, and remind Kaitlin of her grandma’s Fourth of July apple-pie, some are stuffed with honey and pistachio like baklava according to Layla, and Jonathan finds the cheesy peperoni samosa genius. When Dadijaan sees the pictures Abbu has sent at fajr, she calls and praises Noor with the friends hoping to have another samosa party when she is visiting next.
The book concludes with Dadijaan’s Special Samosa Recipe, and a Glossary. The book is widely available, including here on Amazon.
I love funny books that are Islamically accurate, Muslim filled, and informative as well. Alhumdulliah for this outrageous Ramadan tale, that gets kids laughing and parents horrified. A frog on the loose at Taraweeh on the 21st night, and a little girl who is a self proclaimed “trouble magnet,” focuses on Laylatul Qadr, good intentions, and Allah swt hearing our prayers. It is text heavy, so for a read aloud, think slightly older children, seven or up, would be the ideal audience, but in a bedtime story setting the illustrations will keep younger ones engaged.
The book starts with Umama looking forward to Laylatul Qadr. She knows duas are answered that night when the angels come down and fill the earth, and she has a special dua to make, she really wants a little sister. It is the first odd night of the last ten days and she has had an eventful Ramdan so far. She accidently flooded the wudu area, she tripped on her prayer skirt and knocked people over, she even tried to organize the shoes, but then no one could find their shoes.
Tonight she is determined will be trouble free, which naturally means, it won’t be. Fluffy, her frog, gets loose. She apologizes to the woman as she scoops him off her head, but then…he gets away from Umama, and the chase is on.
With plugs getting yanked, breakers being flipped, and little Umama asking Allah swt to help her make it right. The imam, her dad, keeps his cool and somehow you find yourself, parents included, feeling bad for Umama and hoping she has a smooth remaining Ramadan.
The expressive illustrations are bright and complementary to the story. Kids enjoy looking at them and they really do help hold the kid’s attention as the story unfolds. So many of my Ramadan staples come from Ruqaya’s bookshelf, and this is a great addition to the shelf.
I honestly don’t know who this 24 page book is for and to what purpose it would be read. It is non fiction, it is listed for 5-7 year olds. But the sparse text feels toddler-ish, and it is so simplified, that it doesn’t teach, educate, or inform anyone about Muslims or Ramadan, it does an ok job at showing Eid though, for the age level, I will admit that. I know I struggle with non-fiction, it is a me problem, and I know children can handle more than we credit them for, think dinosaur and construction vehicles, but if the person reading this book with the child knows nothing to add, this book really doesn’t give even the most well-meaning adult, guardian or second grade teacher, much of anything to work with. They would do better with a fiction book and Google. Sigh.
The book starts out with an Educators Toolbox before beginning, it encourages guidance to ask what children think the book will be about, asks them what they already know, and what they would like to learn. It then encourages sounding out words, looking at pictures for clues, and praising the child.
The first page of text has the headline of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr with the line, “Ramadan last for one month,” immediately below, already kind of confusing an early reader, why Eid was mentioned and then not discussed. The next page says “Muslims have a holy book. They read it at this time.” Yes, we do, but we read it at all other times, too. The sparse words give extra weight to the words chosen, and in this case, it makes an erroneous assertion.
I wish it said Muslims pray five times a day instead of “People pray five times a day,” same with when it says that People fast. It does get it correct that we fast from dawn to sunset, so I do appreciate that.
It then moves to Eid al Fitr and does a decent job highlighting that people dress up, pray together, give gifts and give to the poor, which is clear and accurate. Again I wish it said Muslims dress up, pray together, etc. since the word Muslim is only mentioned once in the book, Islam not at all, I don’t know that the connection will be made.
The last page I don’t even know what it means, “Ramadan is for faith. Eid al-Fitr is for giving thanks.” Faith and thanks are intrinsic to both Ramadan and Eid, so I can’t make sense of the statement.
The book then has some connection questions, Social and Emotional Snapshot, Photo Glossary, and a Learn More section. It seems like it is part of a series that ticks checkboxes for inclusion in well funded school and public libraries. I don’t know where this book would be sought after, useful, or informative unfortunately.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
Another surprising library find, this 2023 published cookbook shares meals for all the time, but organizes them with Ramadan in mind. Unlike many online recipe pages, there is not a lot of backstory about the culture behind the recipes, or how the author has made them her own, it really is pretty direct and to the point. The author is Desi, and the bulk of the recipes Indian, but it isn’t all of them. I found myself flipping through the pages hoping to be inspired, but sadly most of the recipes were fairly basic. That isn’t too say they are not good, I have not tried them, but being of Pakistani decent and that I have been cooking multiple meals a day for too many years to count, I didn’t feel compelled to check the kitchen for ingredients. I think a big part of it is, I need pictures of the food to spark interest, and not every page had images of the food. I think the book is fun to look through, maybe remind you of something you tried once and enjoyed, or give you ideas of something you and your family might like to try. I would say it is for beginner cooks, but without step-by-step directions, you have to have some basic skills, perhaps it is more a family friendly cook book as she makes comments of what her children like, or dishes them come together quickly and easily.
Clearly I am not a foodie, or a cookbook reviewer, I was just excited to see a Ramadan cookbook available at the library and wanted to share. The author shares her thoughts on Ramadan, and interjects some thoughts on the section pages. Apparently she is a famous blogger, so if you follow the author and there is something I should try, please let me know.
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.
Islamic School Librarian 