Ramadan Kareem

by M. O. Yuksel, Hatem Aly (Illustrator)

Overview

From M. O. Yuksel and Hatem Aly, the acclaimed creators of the award-winning In My Mosque, comes Ramadan Kareem—a delightful, diverse celebration of Ramadan around the world. Don’t miss this modern classic that celebrates the emotions and joy of this important holiday.

Come in and experience the sacred traditions of Ramadan, the Islamic month of mercy and blessings, with children and families from across the globe. From waking up early for suhoor and fasting from dawn to dusk to praying and preparing an iftar meal to be shared, Ramadan is a time of increased spirituality, gratitude, charity, and empathy for all.

With warm, lyrical text from M. O. Yuksel and richly detailed artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Hatem Aly, this is a must-have book that invites readers to enjoy the wonder of Ramadan. The book also includes easy-to-understand back matter and fun, interactive elements.   

"A celebratory, tender picture book that reflects how the holy month of Ramadan is honored by Muslims around the world... Yuksel pairs these shared values of Ramadan with culturally specific language for loved ones and foods, reflecting the diversity of the Muslim community... Aly’s illustrations fill each page with colors and patterns that emanate excitement and care as families share meals, visit the market, gather for prayer, prepare donations, cook, and set the table together... A beautiful follow-up to the award-winning collaboration In My Mosque, this book reflects the diversity of Muslim communities around the world while uplifting the shared principles of the holy month of Ramadan." —School Library Journal (starred review)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063240124
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/20/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	221,853
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

M. O. Yuksel is the award-winning author of In My Mosque, One Wish: Fatima al-Fihri and the World’s Oldest University, and Ramadan Kareem. Of Uzbek heritage, she was born in Türkiye and immigrated to the United States when she was seven. She spent most of her childhood in New York City. Ramadan is her favorite time of year. Visit her online at moyuksel.com.

Hatem Aly is an Egyptian-born illustrator whose work has been published all over the world. As a child, he was in charge of preparing apricot juice for iftar and buying yogurt and beans for suhoor. He used to only fast until noon, but as he got older, he was able to fast until sunset. He still makes it to sunset. His illustrations have earned multiple starred reviews and positions on the New York Times bestseller list, including The Proudest Blue (with Ibtihaj Muhammad & S. K. Ali), the Yasmin series (with Saadia Faruqi), and The Inquisitor’s Tale (with Adam Gidwitz). He currently lives in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada, with his wife, son, and more pets than people.

Editorial Reviews

12/18/2023

The collaborators behind In My Mosque cross continents and countries to celebrate Ramadan’s joys and traditions in this painstakingly detailed book. As “the holy month of mercy” begins, spreads show families observing the holiday in locales whose contextual details connote Australia, Palestine, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, and the U.S., among others. Characters portrayed with various abilities and skin tones “gather/ to gaze at the new crescent moon,” fast and break fast, share gifts and greetings, engage in community care—and finally celebrate Eid. Yuksel’s sensate prose conveys specific practices and experiences (“I trace the lines of the Qur’an on my abuela’s lap”), especially the wait for iftar, while Aly’s energetic illustrations draw on culturally specific Islamic art and architecture, imparting the season’s tenets and its communal feel. A note and glossary conclude. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

Yuksel's refreshing take centers children's experiences during Ramadan and the holiday that follows it, Eid al-Fitr. Descriptions of the children's hunger pangs, their relief at breaking their fast, and their gratitude for their blessings perfectly capture their perspective. The author emphasizes sensory experiences, such as the smell of kofta, the sound of the calls to prayers, and the cozy feeling of curling up on Abuela's lap to read the Quran. Aly's cheerful, energetic illustrations pair beautifully with the text to convey the joyous spirit of Ramadan, with bright colors and depictions of Islamic art and architecture. — Kirkus Reviews

"The collaborators behind In My Mosque cross continents and countries to celebrate Ramadan’s joys and traditions in this painstakingly detailed book. Yuksel’s sensate prose conveys specific practices... especially the wait for iftar, while Aly’s energetic illustrations draw on culturally specific Islamic art and architecture, imparting the season’s tenets and its communal feel." — Publishers Weekly

"Muslim children around the world observe and celebrate Ramadan in this uplifting, joy-filled picture book... Sights and sounds of sacred Islamic cultural traditions... Rich in color, detail, and storytelling, Aly’s dynamic digital illustrations capture ethnically diverse Muslims of all ages coming together to pray, perform acts of kindness, and savor communal feasts. An exceptionally warm and illuminating celebration." — Booklist (starred review)

From the Publisher

★ 12/01/2023

PreS-Gr 3—A celebratory, tender picture book that reflects how the holy month of Ramadan is honored by Muslims around the world. The story begins with the sighting of "the new crescent moon," marking the start of Ramadan. The voice of the child narrator travels across the experiences of children in different countries expressing, through lyrical language, what the practices of fasting, prayer, meal preparation, helping others, and sharing time with family mean during this most holy month. Yuksel pairs these shared values of Ramadan with culturally specific language for loved ones and foods, reflecting the diversity of the Muslim community: "I trace the lines of the Qur'an on my abuela's lap, which feels warm and cozy like a soft blanket," and "Eggs sizzle, toasters pop, qatayefs flip." Aly's illustrations fill each page with colors and patterns that emanate excitement and care as families share meals, visit the market, gather for prayer, prepare donations, cook, and set the table together. Readers will enjoy finding small flags placed in the illustrations that give a clue to the country pictured. Full spreads commemorating Eid end the book with reverence and delight. Back matter includes further information, a glossary of terms found in the text, and additional resources. VERDICT A beautiful follow-up to the award-winning collaboration In My Mosque, this book reflects the diversity of Muslim communities around the world while uplifting the shared principles of the holy month of Ramadan.—Sarah Pousty

School Library Journal

2023-11-04
Young Muslims around the world observe the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon. Children who are diverse in terms of nationality, skin tone, body type, and ability describe their experiences observing and celebrating the “holy month of mercy.” Kids wake up to fill their bellies for suhoor, the pre-fast breakfast, and take care to be kinder and more polite. They pray at home with their families and in the mosque and prepare donations for those in need. Yuksel’s refreshing take centers children’s experiences during Ramadan and the holiday that follows it, Eid al-Fitr. Descriptions of the children’s hunger pangs, their relief at breaking their fast, and their gratitude for their blessings perfectly capture their perspective. The author emphasizes sensory experiences, such as the smell of kofta, the sound of the call to prayers, and the cozy feeling of curling up on Abuela’s lap to read the Quran. Aly’s cheerful, energetic illustrations pair beautifully with the text to convey the joyous spirit of Ramadan, with bright colors and depictions of Islamic art and architecture. Careful readers will notice that a playful cat appears throughout. A thoughtful author’s note digs deeper into the practices and traditions of Ramadan, while a helpful glossary defines potentially unfamiliar words from multiple languages and cultures.

Fantastic, festive, and vibrant. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews