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bookswhitme 's review for:
Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices
by S.K. Ali, Aisha Saeed
I absolutely loved this book. It was fun, it was fluffy, it was heartwarming, it was educational and it was just an all around great read. Really it was a breath of fresh air. Each middle-grade story brings something fresh and new to my understanding of Eid, two very important Muslim holidays. One Eid signifies the end of Ramadan and the other is the 10th day of the month of Hajj. Want to know how I know this? The editors S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed included an editor’s introduction in the beginning of the book that explains the significance of Eid and helps us to know what to expect in the 15 stories that follow the introduction. All fifteen stories express a different type of joy and understanding of the holiday and its significance an honestly it was just beautiful to read.
Each story focused on a different family, a different person, and a different situation. There are different Muslim identities and experiences expressed in each short story which just adds to the beauty and diversity between these pages. Overall this really felt like a lighthearted read and I sped right on through it. None of the stories are very long, but so much is communicated within the few pages that they each have. I don’t want to spoil any of the stories, but I’ll give you a little info on my favorite stories:
A little brother is excited to continue his family’s dessert tradition and upset that his sister wants to change things, but he learns that maybe change only brings new tradition
A boy saves all of Ramadan to buy himself a new bike, but he meets a new community member who teaches him the value of generosity
The sole Muslim girl in a small community has always loved being the leading authority on Islam in her school, but learns that having support and backup of a new friend may be even better
Wearing hijab in public is this young girl’s dream, but her parents are worried that it may be too much for her to handle. She determined to take on this new profession of her faith, but could her parents be right?
These four stories may have been my favorite, but I loved each and every one of them. Please please PLEASE go pick up this middle-grade short story anthology when it’s released on May 5th. You won’t regret it.
Each story focused on a different family, a different person, and a different situation. There are different Muslim identities and experiences expressed in each short story which just adds to the beauty and diversity between these pages. Overall this really felt like a lighthearted read and I sped right on through it. None of the stories are very long, but so much is communicated within the few pages that they each have. I don’t want to spoil any of the stories, but I’ll give you a little info on my favorite stories:
A little brother is excited to continue his family’s dessert tradition and upset that his sister wants to change things, but he learns that maybe change only brings new tradition
A boy saves all of Ramadan to buy himself a new bike, but he meets a new community member who teaches him the value of generosity
The sole Muslim girl in a small community has always loved being the leading authority on Islam in her school, but learns that having support and backup of a new friend may be even better
Wearing hijab in public is this young girl’s dream, but her parents are worried that it may be too much for her to handle. She determined to take on this new profession of her faith, but could her parents be right?
These four stories may have been my favorite, but I loved each and every one of them. Please please PLEASE go pick up this middle-grade short story anthology when it’s released on May 5th. You won’t regret it.