Party in Ramadan, A : Boyds Mills

Party in Ramadan, A

View Larger Party in Ramadan, A

Asma Mobin-Uddin, MD

ILLUSTRATED BY

Laura Jacobsen

In Picture Book

Ages: 7–9

Pages: 34

List Price: $16.95

Cover: Hardcover

Published: 4/1/2009

ISBN: 1-59078-604-1

ISBN-13: 978-1-59078-604-8

Ramadan is coming and Leena is excited. Although she is too young to fast each day during the Muslim holy month, she decides to fast on a Friday that her aunt will be visiting. Now Leena has a dilemma. She receives an invitation to a party which happens to fall on that same Friday. Leena doesn’t want to miss the party, but she doesn’t want to miss fasting either. So Leena decides to go to the party, but not eat or drink Later, she will join her family for the meal known as iftar, when the daily fast is broken. But when Leena, who is the only Muslim at the party, sees her friends enjoying fresh lemonade and chocolate cake, her stomach starts to growl and her head begins to hurt. Will she keep her Ramadan fast? Asma Mobin-Uddin’s charming story of a young Muslim girl determined to do the right thing is warmly illustrated by Laura Jacobsen.

Awards

Winner of a 2009 Parents' Choice Award

Reviews

"With lively pastel-and-pencil artwork, this warm picture book shows and tells the observance and meaning of Ramadan through the viewpoint of a Muslim child in a diverse neighborhood. ... The blend of the upbeat and challenging moments will spark discussion, and a final note fills in more about the holy month and what it means."
—Booklist

"This is a beautiful tale of a child grasping her identity yet being able to embrace the differences around her. ... This is a perfect resource for teaching about choices, sharing, and empathy. Throughout the engaging story, readers are acquainted with Islamic practice. Jacobsen’s skillful, gentle images show harmony in diversity."
—School Library Journal

"…[T]here’s plenty of information for non-Muslims embedded in the text, illustrations, and author’s note, and plenty of encouragement and comfort in the message for children celebrating Ramadan among those of other (or no) faiths."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"[T]his is a compassionate family story that functions beautifully as both mirror for Muslim-American children and window for their non-Muslim friends. ... A worthwhile addition to the still-too-sparse literature for children about Muslim-Americans."
—Kirkus Reviews

In its May 1, 2009 issue, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books features a review of Asma Mobin-Uddin's A Party in Ramadan:

"The story itself is a carefully constructed and sweetly iced literary confection, but there’s plenty of information for non-Muslims embedded in the text, illustrations, and author’s note, and plenty of encouragement and comfort in the message for children celebrating Ramadan among those of other (or no) faiths."

The March 15, 2009 issue of Booklist features a review of Asma Mobin-Uddin's A Party in Ramadan:

“With lively pastel-and-pencil artwork, this warm picture book shows and tells the observance and meaning of Ramadan through the viewpoint of a Muslim child in a diverse neighborhood. ... The blend of the upbeat and challenging moments will spark discussion, and a final note fills in more about the holy month and what it means.”