"Ramadan"

Title: "Ramadan"
Author: Suhaib Hamid Ghazi
Illustrator: Oman Rayyan
Publisher: Holiday House, 1996
Genre: Multicultural
Grade: 3rd grade

This book begins by telling the reader that Muslim means that he believes in the religion of Islam and Muslims believe in one God called Allah. The book then goes on to tell about the Islam religion and how it is more than 1400 years old. In the ninth month of the Muslim lunar year is called Ramadan, which is a month long time period in which every Muslim fasts. There are exceptions regarding the fasting. Old people and young children are exempt from fasting, as well as sick people and pregnant women. Ramadan is more than just a month of fasting, it is also to clean and purify their bodies and minds. It goes on to talk about the service at the Mosque and everything that goes on there.

I liked this book because it let me become more familiar with the Islam culture. I didn't know what Ramadan was or what it was all about. I had no idea what all fasting entold and who could be exempt. The illustrations in this book look they have been done using water color. This is definitely a book I would consider to be good multicultural literature. This book definitely demonstrated cultural authenticity because it talked about the Muslim culture. It walks the reader through Ramadan. I think this book is from an insider's perspective because it is written from the viewpoint of a boy named Hakeem. I think this book identifies with the cultural group of Muslim Americans and the Middle East. I also really liked that there was a glossary in the back with the definitions of all the Islamic Religion.

I would use this book in a multicultural unit on different religious holidays. I would include this book with the book on Hanuakkah. I would have students to keep a journal on the different religious holidays we discuss and what's significant about all of them.