Moon's Ramadan

by Natasha Khan Kazi, Natasha Khan Kazi (Illustrator)

Overview

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A School Library Journal Best Book

A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book

A Bank Street Best Children’s Book

With radiant and welcoming art, Natasha Khan Kazi's debut picture book is a modern holiday classic that captures the magic and meaning of one of the world's most joyful and important celebrations.

It's Ramadan, the month of peace, and Moon watches over Ramadan traditions with excitement and longing in this sweetly illustrated debut.

In Egypt, India, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates, in Somalia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, in Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, children and their families do good deeds in honor of those who have less.

Cleverly blending glimpses of different countries' celebrations with the corresponding phases of the moon, Moon's Ramadan makes Ramadan, one of the world's most widely celebrated traditions, accessible and exciting for all readers. Includes robust and easy-to-understand back matter.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358694090
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/28/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	110,312
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD770L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Natasha Khan Kazi is an author-illustrator who draws from her first-generation immigrant experience (pun intended). Born in Bangladesh, she moved to the United States when she was five. Her debut picture book, Moon’s Ramadan, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and a School Library Journal Best Picture Book of the Year selection, among other honors. Natasha shares her art with the world through her blogs, IslamiMommy and Art with Miss Natasha. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Visit her at natashakhankazi.com.

Natasha Khan Kazi is an author-illustrator who draws from her first-generation immigrant experience (pun intended). Born in Bangladesh, she moved to the United States when she was five. Her debut picture book, Moon’s Ramadan, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and a School Library Journal Best Picture Book of the Year selection, among other honors. Natasha shares her art with the world through her blogs, IslamiMommy and Art with Miss Natasha. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Visit her at natashakhankazi.com.

Editorial Reviews

"Will create a curiosity about traditions that are less familiar to some readers, but will also generate joy and connection for children who know the practices. A delightful read that teaches students about Ramadan and emphasizes the diversity in the Islamic world. Definitely a go-to for librarians and teachers.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Moon celebrates with Muslims of different cultures, skin tones, ages, body types, and abilities actively engaged in evening activities of Ramadan, including good deeds and charity. Women are depicted with and without hijab, in various styles including niqab, while young girls are not portrayed wearing headscarves. Inviting... Upbeat... Sweet.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Detailed, colorful. The diversity of the Muslim population is evident in the illustrations, making this a welcome addition to shelves of books about celebrations.” — Booklist

"What a stunning debut book from Natasha Khan Kazi! Kazi's lines are lyrical, and as magical as the moon art she has created...The art is dreamy and has hues like the purple veil of twilight that will encourage readers to linger over the pages. I loved how the Moon looks on Earth, and each page travels to a different and beautiful part of the world celebrating Ramadan. This story felt like a cozy hug from the Moon! For teachers, this book is a must-have. Muslim children will feel pride to see themselves reflected back in these stunning pages." — Reem Faruqi, author of Unsettled and Golden Girl

From the Publisher

★ 12/01/2022

PreS-Gr 3—The moon is personified as a delighted individual peeking in around the world as different Islamic cultures celebrate Ramadan and Eid. Because the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, as the author shares in the back matter, this is a clever way of moving from one country to another, while still having a consistent presence throughout the story and emphasizing the importance of the phases of the moon. The use of alliteration creates a musical quality to the text, which incorporates words specific to the celebration, including Iftar and sadaqah. The use of these words will create a curiosity about traditions that are less familiar to some readers, but the text will also generate joy and connection for children who know the practices. Kazi uses predominantly blue and purple illustrations to show the differing dress, food, and environments in which families celebrate. VERDICT A delightful read that teaches students about Ramadan and emphasizes the diversity in the Islamic world. This book will definitely be a go-to for librarians and teachers who want to expand awareness of Ramadan.—Peggy Henderson Murphy

School Library Journal

2022-10-26
An anthropomorphic, feminized moon observes and celebrates with Muslims across the world as they partake in Ramadan festivities.

As Moon glides over the Earth, her visible new crescent marks the beginning of Ramadan for Muslims all over the world. Starting in Egypt, Moon moves through majority Muslim and nonmajority Muslim countries (a label on the bottom of each spread indicates each nation as well as, oddly, a city—Dubai), waxing and waning throughout the month. Moon celebrates with Muslims of different cultures, skin tones, ages, body types, and abilities actively engaged in evening activities of Ramadan, including good deeds and charity. Women are depicted with and without hijab, in various styles including niqab, while young girls are not portrayed wearing headscarves. The illustrations, an inviting blend of scanned watercolor textures and digital pencil, are in evening tones of blue and purple and portray culturally specific clothing and food, while endpapers are a pattern of repeated moon phases. While the text is upbeat, readers may find some elements of the story curious or confusing; in one scene, the steam coming off a plate of freshly baked bread at a meal contains a vision of an interfaith meal—it’s unclear whether this is a real moment or an imagined one. Though some spreads use country-specific words or phrases, other pages—and the glossary—default to Arabic or South Asian terms as standard. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A sweet, if inconsistent, addition to the shelf of books about Ramadan. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews