Review by Booklist Review
The month of Ramadan is the holiest of times for Muslims all over the world. It starts with the sighting of a specific new moon and ends a month later with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. In Moon's Ramadan, an anthropomorphized moon smiles down on the people of the Earth as they begin the traditions of the holy month. On each page, she visits a different Muslim country, which readers get to appreciate through the detailed, colorful illustrations showing people in various stages of preparation for and celebration of Ramadan. In Turkey, for example, a drummer walks the streets, banging out a beat to wake sleepers for their morning meal and prayer at sunrise. Moon glides around the planet, taking the reader to all parts of the world to witness people practicing acts of charity, generosity, kindness, and love. The diversity of the Muslim population is evident in the illustrations, making this a welcome addition to shelves of books about celebrations.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
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
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
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) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
