Ramadan picture books-100 Stories Before School Literacy Calendar

In 2015 Ramadan falls from 18 June- 16 July as the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.

We have a large Muslim community celebrating Ramadan in Sydney, and other parts of Australia.

Preschool Books to share during Ramadan

We have researched and read picture books explaining and celebrating Ramadan for younger children, here are our best picks.

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, a Muslim Book of Colours by Hena Khan (Author)and Mehrdokht Amini (Illustrator).Paperback publisher Hardie Grant ( Chronicle) books,2015 .Available in Kindle, hardcover and paperback.

This is a beautiful book to share and look at. Each page glows with colour.It is well worth adding to your library to be read all year round.

We accessed our copy from The Childrens Bookshop at Beecroft.The text is clear and simple, explaining many elements of Ramadan in the context of a loving family.

All book pictures have been permitted for publication on this blog by the publisher.

Chronicle Books(Publisher) says : “Magnificently capturing the colorful world of Islam for the youngest readers, this breathtaking and informative picture book celebrates Islam’s beauty and traditions. From a red prayer rug to a blue hijab, everyday colors are given special meaning as young readers learn about clothing, food, and other important elements of Islamic culture, with a young Muslim girl as a guide. Sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns is equally at home in a classroom reading circle as it is being read to a child on a parent’s lap.”

The Little Big Book Club has activity and learning time PDF resources, celebrating diversity, to download.

Activity Time makes a cellophane window mosaic,Learning Time has a story and song session.

My First Ramadan by Karen Katz,Henry Holt & Co ( Square Fish) publishers ,2015.Paperback and hardcover.

This story takes us through a day in the life of a young boy during the first year he is fasting for Ramadan.It gives clear explanations of the holy month traditions.

To see many of the pages, check here:

Kirkus reviews says: “In this simple explanation of Ramadan, a little boy explains that he will be fasting for the first time. . . . The richly patterned collage and mixed-media pictures will appeal to young children. A double-paged spread with many races and national groups illustrates the diversity of the Muslim world.” – Kirkus Reviews from US Macmillan site.

Under the Ramadan Moon by Sylvia Whitman, illustrated Sue Williams.Albert Whitman and Co, Publishers.2011. (Borrowed from our local library, also available online and in kindle) This book has full, soft, watercolour pages,mainly shown in the evening, as so many activities happen after the sun goes down and the Ramadan moon rises. The repeated rhyming structure ( “under the Ramadan Moon”) moves through many aspects of Ramadan- including fasting, eating at night, kindness, generosity, light, friendship,and prayer.It’s a loving picture of family and friends celebrating and sharing together.At the end of the book is a helpful one-page explanation of the important elements of Ramadan. Many family blogs recommend this book including The Family-Ship Experience Blog who give activities to follow story sharing. Make a lap book that opens up into pockets( based on Under the Ramadan Moon)from another blog here:

Mirror by Jeannie Baker

Front and back covers of “Mirror”.

An exquisite book you can’t go past about families in an Islamic culture, is Mirror by Jeannie Baker,Walker Books (Candlewick Press).This is a book that celebrates and explains diversity, through detailed pictures following 2 families days.

It’s a wordless book, possibly better for older preschoolers and children at school, although we think it should be shared with book lovers from 4-94. Two separate stories open up from the middle, showing an Australian family and a Moroccan family going about their day – finally becoming connected.Each page can be compared with a page from the other families day. Jeannie’s collage layered constructions almost make the book a 3D experience.

Trevor Cairney has written a comprehensive review ,with pictures, showing how the book works.He also reviews other of Jeannie’s books including Where The Forest Meets The Sea- also on our 100 Stories Before School Booklist.