First Festivals: Ramadan: A Lift the Flap Book illustrated by Junissa Bianda
I was pleasantly surprised by the cuteness of this little (7.5 x 7.5) 12 page lift the flap Ramadan board book I got at the library. Written by committee (Ladybird Books) and part of a series, I didn’t really expect much, but the illustrations are adorable, and the salat flap made me smile. The text is simple and informative, fitting for the target demographic covering that Ramadan is a special time for Muslims to grow closer to Allah, do more good deeds, fast, fast, pray, and celebrate after prayers at the mosque with a feast. It is positioned to teach non Muslims about Islam, so the “Muslims do, or say, or believe” framing, can inherently feel a bit othering, but being the tone of the book is to educate, I think it can easily be reworded for Muslim homes to benefit and enjoy.
The book starts with a two page spread of a family in a living room and text that identifies that “a new moon has appeared” and Ramadan is here. The flap lifts the curtain to reveal a crescent. It states that Ramadan is a special time for Muslims and that we grow closer to God, articulating that we call God, Allah (swt).
The remaining spreads feature diverse characters, various colors, mobility, hijab wearing and not, and cover fasting, suhoor, iftar, eating dates, praying tarawih and then celebrating Eid at the end of the month. Flaps lift to show inside a mosque, praying and making dua, opening gifts, visiting neighbors, and eating. The book concludes with Ramadan over and Muslims remembering what the special month taught them. Overall it does a good job of balancing, fasting, praying, and being together, not over emphasizing food, or commercializing the holy month at the expense of showing faith practices.
