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The Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story
by
Yasmeen, a seven-year-old Pakistani-American girl, celebrates the Muslim holidays of Ramadan, "The Night of the Moon" (Chaand Raat), and Eid. With lush illustrations that evoke Islamic art, this beautiful story offers a window into modern Muslim culture—and into the ancient roots from within its traditions have grown.
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Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
September 1st 2008
by Chronicle Books
(first published June 15th 2008)
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Showing 1-30
A gentle, prettily-illustrated description of a family's month-long celebration of Ramadan. Most of the description relates to practice -- what is eaten, when various events fall -- rather than the historical or religious meaning, which I would have liked to see a bit more of. I assume the intended audience is non-Muslim children who are having the holiday explained to them. For the purpose of making Islam seem comprehensible and not scary to kids who are probably growing up hearing it demonized
...more
May 13, 2019
Abigail
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Readers Looking for Picture-Books About Ramadan & Eid
Expecting a bedtime story one night, Yasmeen is instead surprised to find her mother drawing her over to the window, and pointing out the new crescent moon. It is the beginning of Ramadan - the Muslim month of fasting - and many exciting experiences are before her! Explaining the season to her friends and classmates at school, enjoying the post-dusk meals with her family, attending special events - like the barbecues thrown by friends, or the "Night of the Moon" celebration at the mosque - Yasme
...more
I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book--such rich varieties of blue, perfect for a book about a Muslim holiday centering around the moon. Yasmeen is a 7-year-old Pakistani American girl who is celebrating Ramadan with her family. Through dialogue with Yasmeen and various family members and friends the reader learns the origins of the holiday and many of the customs. An author's note at the back of the book and a glossary provide further explanations. The emphasis here is on celebratin
...more
May 23, 2018
Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
family,
realistic-fiction,
diversity,
4-stars,
religion,
childrens,
culture,
picture-books,
art
Yasmeen's mother points out the little sliver of the crescent moon to remind her of the beginning of a new month of Ramadan. The significance of the moon is directly correlated to the lunar Islamic calendar. As Yasmeen moves through the month and the moon changes its shape, she learns the lessons of the celebration. Night of the Moon expertly captures the spirit of observing Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, and celebrating Eid Al-Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramada
...more
Published in 2008 by Chronicle Books
Interest Level: 5th-7th Grade
This picture book is a great explanation and representation of Ramadan. It no only shows Muslim traditions, but also puts it into a modern context through following Yasmeen through her daily life and Ramadan activities. I think this is a culturally authentic account of Ramadan that is sensitive to Muslim tradition and holds the integrity of the author and illustrator. Each page is interesting, detailed, and revere ...more
Interest Level: 5th-7th Grade
This picture book is a great explanation and representation of Ramadan. It no only shows Muslim traditions, but also puts it into a modern context through following Yasmeen through her daily life and Ramadan activities. I think this is a culturally authentic account of Ramadan that is sensitive to Muslim tradition and holds the integrity of the author and illustrator. Each page is interesting, detailed, and revere ...more
Loved the art! A really great intro to Ramadan, complete with glossary.
#spirituality #ramadan
Picturebook explaining the month of Ramadam in simple language for children
Picturebook explaining the month of Ramadam in simple language for children
What a little gem this book was. It is an excellent way to communicate the Islamic tradition. Loved the simplicity and the graphic was amazing!! Excellent!!’
I love Hena Khan but I wasn’t impressed with the prose here. This fills a needed space in my library-I don’t have enough picture books on Muslim families and holidays, but I don’t think students will find it very engaging. There is no story arc. It’s just a list of things the family does during Ramadan.
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello friends, and Ramadan Mubarak! Today marks the first day of the month of Ramadan, and since we wanted to learn more about this Muslim holy month, our book today was Night Of The Moon, written by Hena Khan and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. This story teaches the reader about Ramadan as seen through the eyes of a young girl named Yasmeen.
Yasmeen is seven years old, Pakistani-American, and Muslim. One night, her mother shows her t ...more
Night of the Moon is a longer picture book, engaging, but still a bit long. In the line up of Ramadan books we’ve read it hasn’t been my most favorite, but it will make a solid addition to my library’s collection. While the story would be suitable for Muslim families to share there was a lot of defining within the text of “unfamiliar” terms so, to me at least, it felt like a story about Ramadan more for non-Muslim audiences.
BUT the best part of this book is the ending. Yasmeen receiv ...more
BUT the best part of this book is the ending. Yasmeen receiv ...more
Dec 16, 2015
Elizabeth
added it
Recommended to Elizabeth by:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmusli...
I really appreciated this book's explanation of the relation of the moon to Ramadan -- despite Under the Ramadan Moon 's emphasis on the Ramadan moon in its text (and art -- and now I'm curious to look at it again and see if the moon in the artwork tracks through the month like it should [spoilers: I was disappointed and would recommend this book over that one]), I didn't really get a sense of what the connection was. Whereas in this book the moon provides a frame for the month (Islam uses a lunar calen
...more
Mar 24, 2018
Barbara
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
families,
nature,
health,
cooking,
friendship,
faith,
compassion,
cultural-identity,
religion,
community
This paper version of the previous hardcover picture book features gouache illustrations incorporating tile art and giving it a culturally authentic appearance. The impressively detailed images and simple text provide an introduction to Ramadan when healthy Muslims are expected to fast. In the story Yasmeen's mother points out the changing moon over the course of the month and explains its significance. I liked how the special time is mentioned in Yasmeen's class as well as at home and how the a
...more
The story of Ramadan is told through the eyes of a young, Pakistani-American girl named Yasmeen. The text depicts a family's celebration of Ramadan told through the thoughts and emotions experienced by Yasmeen. Readers are introduced to the meaning and elements of this important Islamic holiday. Illustrations are colorful, detailed and supportive of the text. Key content-specific vocabulary is bold, with plenty of context to further explain their meanings. The book also features a helpful glossa
...more
Jun 05, 2018
LtLEGOReads
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Parents seeking children books on Ramadan
As someone who observes the fasting month of Ramadan, finding this book at the library was timely.
If you have kids who are just learning about fasting and the beautiful month of Ramadan, this book is perfect as a bedtime read to introduce these concepts in a simple to understand manner that most kids can relate to.
Children can easily identify with seven-year-old Yasmeen of Pakistani-American descent, who is observing Ramadan and all its traditions with her family and frie ...more
If you have kids who are just learning about fasting and the beautiful month of Ramadan, this book is perfect as a bedtime read to introduce these concepts in a simple to understand manner that most kids can relate to.
Children can easily identify with seven-year-old Yasmeen of Pakistani-American descent, who is observing Ramadan and all its traditions with her family and frie ...more
Summary
This book is about a little girl named Yasmeen and her family during Ramadan. It starts by intruding the importance of the moon and how the new moon meant a new month in the Islamic calendar. And the upcoming month was ramadan. The book talks about what a traditional Ramadan is like which fasting, parties, prayer delicious foods, and presents.
Theme
Family and religious traditions
Personal Response
It was very interesting reading about Islamic traditions about t ...more
This book is about a little girl named Yasmeen and her family during Ramadan. It starts by intruding the importance of the moon and how the new moon meant a new month in the Islamic calendar. And the upcoming month was ramadan. The book talks about what a traditional Ramadan is like which fasting, parties, prayer delicious foods, and presents.
Theme
Family and religious traditions
Personal Response
It was very interesting reading about Islamic traditions about t ...more
Date: August 30th, 2014
Author: Hena Khan; Illustrations by Julie Paschkis
Title: Night of the Moon
Plot: Yasmeen is a young girl who is looking forward to Ramadan, a Islamic holiday. During Ramadan, Yasmeen will eat delicious foods, wear new clothes, attend a lot of parties and receive presents.
Setting: No setting identified; Time: Ramadan Holiday
Characters: Yasmeen
Point-of-View: Third-Person (Yasmeen is the main character)
Theme: Family, Tradition ...more
Author: Hena Khan; Illustrations by Julie Paschkis
Title: Night of the Moon
Plot: Yasmeen is a young girl who is looking forward to Ramadan, a Islamic holiday. During Ramadan, Yasmeen will eat delicious foods, wear new clothes, attend a lot of parties and receive presents.
Setting: No setting identified; Time: Ramadan Holiday
Characters: Yasmeen
Point-of-View: Third-Person (Yasmeen is the main character)
Theme: Family, Tradition ...more
Night of the Moon is a traditional literature book. This book is a book most Muslims use to teach their kids about the Ramadan holiday. The book is overall a great book to introduce the Ramadan holiday to kids. The book also give kids the ability to ask questions and also compare the Muslim holiday to the holiday they celebrate. The characters are realistic and convincing characters that allows the students to engage more in the story. The book also includes some of the Muslim word, allowing the
...more
This was an amazingly illustrated and told story about a 7 year old Pakistani-American girl and her confusion about the date that the Muslim holiday Ramadan falls on. She is taught that the differences in the dates are based on a lunar calendar versus a solar one (what we typically use). This book has a lot of potential in the classroom. Number one, it humanizes Muslims and dispels many myths and prejudices about them, their religion, and culture. Two, it has a science element involved with the
...more
The main character Yasmeen is a Pakistani- American girl, who is seven years old. Yasmeen, her family, and friends have an amazing time celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Eid is a very felicitous day for Muslims all around the world. In this story we follow Yasmeen through the month of Ramadan an witness some of the activities that her and her family do during this celebration. It is the tracking of the moon that drives Ramadan celebration. Many terminology having to do with this Musl
...more
Nov 02, 2008
Melissa
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
any child interested in holidays, Muslim children + families, classrooms
Recommended to Melissa by:
self
Shelves:
children-juvenile
This is overall an excellent package--the text is very well written and comprehensive for any child learning about the Islamic holiday Eid (for both Muslim and non-Muslim children alike). The author, Hena Khan, is a Pakistani American who ascribes her own joy for the festival in her writing. Readers will relate to young Yasmeen's curiosity about the holy month and her anticipation of the celebration. The colorful and playful art, done by Julie Paschkis, was inspired by the decorations of Islamic
...more
Based on the Islamic Celebration of Ramadan, this story is a great way to introduce students of all cultures to this Muslim holiday story. The reader discovers new words, traditions, religious symbols as young Yasmeen, and her family, celebrates the month of Ramadan and the Night of the New Moon.
I love how the illustrator keeps with the blues and greens throughout the story. This helps add to the power of the moon and its symbolism in the story.
This would be a great story ...more
I love how the illustrator keeps with the blues and greens throughout the story. This helps add to the power of the moon and its symbolism in the story.
This would be a great story ...more
A really well done story about Ramadan. Yasmeen, a Pakistani-American girl, asks about Ramadan and shares with her classmates (and us) all she learns and experiences during the holiday. The art, inspired by Islamic tiles, is dredged in rich colors and enhances the mystical beauty of a holiday interwoven with the moon. A well told story clearly explaining a holiday many are interested in learning about, illustrated with beautiful art, and an author's note and a glossary at the end, what more coul
...more
I thought this was delightful. Nothing dour about it, but not superficial either. It wasn't just an account of the holiday from the little girl's perspective, it was filled with things to notice - like the moon, of course, which is a passage of time accessible to children like little else. And like snacks versus getting to fast. And the depiction of fasting as not necessarily easy but definitely rewarding. But again, still accessible. I loved the moon and the borders, but I wasn't a huge fan of
...more
I love reading books by Hena Khan. This special Ramadan book has lush Islamic art illustrations. Children are sure to intrigue by art full with rich colors inside this book. Hena Khan goes into great details about the rituals of Ramadan, she talks about the Ramadan party (Iftar), and also discusses Eid celebration. The illustrations at the end shows lot of diversity, as Muslims from different countries gather for Eid festivities. I would highly recommend this book, as children will learn a lot o
...more
Khan does a wonderful job walking readers through Ramadan with the experience of Little Yasmeen (the protagonist). The illustrations are so vibrantly blue emphasized with traditional Islamic Art. I believe the intended audience is for Muslim & Non-muslims alike. The text provides learning of common Ramadan customs & traditions for readers. I felt waves of nostalgia reading it as little Yasmeen's story felt so relatable.
(Don't forget to check out the glossary and authors note at the back ...more
This picture book was a visual feast for my eyes and an informational buffet for my brain. I have some prior knowledge of Ramadan and Eid but NIGHT OF THE MOON explains in better detail about the holidays, the traditions, and how the moon's cycle comes into play. This would be perfect for elementary teachers looking to explain Ramadan and Eid. I have to admit though, I can't get over how lovely the artwork is in this book. ♥
Luminous geometric patterning, spacious blue views of the changing moon and warm orange spreads of bustling celebration give us a gorgeous glimpse of the treats and traditions of Ramadan.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.
This was such an interesting and informative read for me, a person with little knowledge about the Muslim faith. Hena Khan did a wonderful job showing the importance of Ramadan, its relation to the moon cycle, and many of the ways Muslims celebrate. A perfect read to share with your children to introduce them a religious holiday different from their own; or if Muslim, to reinforce and celebrate it.
I don't know much about Ramadan. I knew that people fasted, but not much more. The story portrays a close knit loving family while explaining the holiday that they are celebrating, emphasizing the themes of family traditions and charity for others who are less fortunate. This book contains basic information so it probably isn't for members of the Muslim community who would know these things already.
The illustrator frames the spreads with lush mosaic patterns of teal and turquoise.
The illustrator frames the spreads with lush mosaic patterns of teal and turquoise.
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Readers also enjoyed
Hena Khan is the award-winning author of the middle grade novels AMINA’S VOICE, MORE TO THE STORY, and the ZAYD SALEEM: CHASING THE DREAM series, and picture books GOLDEN DOMES AND SILVER LANTERNS, CRESCENT MOONS AND POINTED MINARETS, NIGHT OF THE MOON, and UNDER MY HIJAB. She wrote IT'S RAMADAN, CURIOUS GEORGE and the WORST CASE SCENARIO ULTIMATE ADVENTURE MARS and AMAZON books.
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