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Synopsis
This lyrical picture book describes the monthlong Muslim observance of Ramadan by a modern family.
Children's Literature
The celebration of the Muslim holiday of Ramadan by a family is told in a single sentence per two page spread. The soft colored pictures show the family in various actions and settings that add to the text. A new moon begins and ends the holiday. Through Ramadan, the family fasts during the day. The father reads to his son on the steps outside their house. The mother holds her daughter on a swing from a tree. At night they eat. They "speak kind words and stop bad habits under the moon." They give to the poor and read the Qur'an. Friends and food are part of it. Many pray at the mosque. A page with further explanation of the holiday appears at the back of the book. "In the United States, Ramadan recipes and customs reflect the many different cultures Muslim Americans come from." Muslim parents will enjoy reading the simple text and talking about the pictures with their young children. Other parents and children may come to understand the customs of neighbors and friends. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman