Great Ramadan Reads for Kids of All Ages
Middle-grade books
“A Ramadan to Remember” by Marzieh A. Ali
It’s Zain’s favorite time of year— Ramadan! But after moving to a new neighborhood with no mosque or Islamic school, will Zain be able to find new friend to celebrate with? This book introduces readers to the importance of Ramadan traditions from decorating, to fasting, to volunteering in the community.
“Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices” edited by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed
This collection of 15 stories from Muslim voices focus on Eid and is a celebration of joy. Eid marks the end of Ramadan and the short stories in this collection celebrates the many ways families across the country and overseas prepare for the celebration.
“Sadiq and the Ramadan Gift” by Siman Nuurali
Sadiq, a third-grader who is a friend to all, is the main character in a series of books. In this story, Sadiq and his friends decide to raise money to build a new school for children in Somalia. The friends find themselves in conflict over how they should proceed. Can they find a way to work together?
“Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting” by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Roughly one in four humans on this planet is Muslim, so there are inevitably variations in practice. Khan’s chapter book addresses the different ways Muslims honor Ramadan, featuring the experiences of children from different countries, as well as those of one famous woman — Olympic sabre fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. And while most books focus on the fast, this one also discusses the importance of (and recipes for) the Iftar meal that breaks the fast each sundown.
“The Garden of My Imaan” by Farhana Zia
Muslim-American Aliya isn’t quite sure where her faith fits into her life, or where she fits in at school. The arrival of a transfer student who shares Aliya’s faith, but not her culture, pushes Aliya to start figuring out how the pieces of her life fit together. In the tradition of “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” Zia provides insight into life as an adolescent Muslim while acknowledging the vast diversity of American Islam.
“A Long Pitch Home” by Natalie Dias Lorenzi
While this book does not deal specifically with Ramadan, it does focus on one young boy’s struggle to navigate and reconcile the differences between his birth culture in Pakistan and his new life in America. Bilal’s father has to stay behind while the rest of his family joins relatives in the United States, where there isn’t even a cricket team to join. Instead, Bilal joins the baseball team and begins to make friends.
“Muhammad” by Demi
Books by the artist Demi straddle the line between picture book and art book. Although the text is simple enough for younger readers, the gorgeous artwork will appeal equally to adults. One of her many biographies of historic figures, “Muhammad” depicts events in the life of the prophet while adhering to the Islamic tradition of using gold leaf instead of images of his face. You can’t understand Ramadan without knowing about the life of Muhammad. This book is a beautiful place to start.
Up next: Young adult books
