About This Book:
Zahra hugs her cherished teddy bear and prays that Ramadan will bring her a longed-for sister. When her bear subsequently goes missing, Zahra finds herself grappling with intense feelings of loss. Over the next few weeks, as she volunteers with her mother at a local shelter for asylum seekers, Zahra befriends a displaced child, resulting in a newfound sense of gratitude and an unexpected Ramadan blessing.
*Review Contributed By Connie Reid, Staff Reviewer*
Making connections through literature
What I Liked: This is a nice story about Zahra and her family preparing for Ramadan by gathering and donating items to a local shelter helping people seek asylum. Zahra’s greatest wish is to have a sister. On Ramadan, she learns that her parents have adopted a little girl from the shelter. This book is unique because Ramadan was incorporated into a story and was not trying to teach people outside of the faith what it is about. There are few books in English for American audiences with that currently.
What makes this story impactful for me is my experience reading it with a student whose family was also preparing for Ramadan. They were so excited to have a story with their culture reflected. This opened a conversation about their preparations and sharing in the food they would have for the celebration just before their fasting began. As someone whose holidays are easily found whenever I want, it was gratifying to connect the family with this book so she could experience the joy of the holiday through books as well. This book was a mirror for them and a window to me making it a very special book.
