The Gift of Ramadan

I Picked Up This Book Because: I wanted to learn about Ramadan.

Media Type: Digital
Source: CCP Library
Dates Read: 4/12/21
Stars: 4.5 Stars

The Story:

A short and sweet bedtime tale about Ramadan and the celebration of it in one family. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. The information is clear, concise and easy to understand.

The Random Thoughts: ( )

As Ramadan draws near, young Sophia decides that she would like to participate in the fast with her parents and grandmother. Getting up early and having sahoor - the pre-dawn, pre-fast breakfast - she approaches her first day with enthusiasm, only to find it harder than she thought it would be to maintain her fast. When her little brother wanders by with delicious cookies, all bets are off. Has Sophia ruined everything, or is Ramadan about more than just fasting...?

I appreciated author Rabiah York Lumbard's message about helping others in The Gift of Ramadan, which pairs an engaging family story with appealing illustrations depicting a biracial family. Sophia's realization that she can still get that "sparkling" feeling by stepping in to make iftar - the communal dinner that Muslims eat to break their fast during Ramadan, once the sun sets - when her grandmother is too tired, illustrates the "gift" of the title here. Recommended to anyone looking for new, lighthearted picture-books for Ramadan. ( )