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.
Key Selling Points:
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Young readers will relate to Zahra’s feelings of loss when she can’t find her teddy bear, which serves as a bridge for empathizing with the relatively extreme loss experienced by the refugee child in the story.
RAMADAN & ISLAM: Written by a Muslim author and illustrated by a Muslim artist, the story immerses readers in the rituals of Ramadan, while endnotes provide additional factual information about Ramadan, Islam and variations in Muslim traditions.
ASYLUM SEEKERS & DISPLACEMENT: Provides a sensitive portrayal of displacement for children who are both familiar and unfamiliar with the concept. Endnotes explain more about asylum seekers, refugees, shelters and long-term foster care.
SPANISH EDITION: Simultaneously published with the English edition. Perfect for ELL and native language support.
More Details
Product Dimensions:8.50 x 10.75 inches
Page Count:32 pages
Age Range:Ages 4-9 years
Leveling:N / 3
Awards & Accolades
Best Muslim Holiday Book, Muslim Bookstagram Award, 2022
Featured in The Chicago Tribune, March 2022
“A young Muslim girl, cued as Pakistani American, prays for a blessing and ends up being one . . . A sweet story about the importance of sharing and caring that’s embedded in Islamic traditions” – Kirkus Reviews
“Colorful illustrations are perfectly framed to show the goings-on of the family during the holy month of Ramadan as they open their fast during their Iftar meal, pray, and read the Quran” – School Library Journal
“Zahra and her caring family exemplify a spirit of generous harmony as they follow the traditions of Ramadan” – Children’s Literature
About the Contributors
Written by - Shirin Shamsi
When Shirin Shamsi became a mother, she began writing stories her own children would see themselves in. She currently lives in the city of Darien, Illinois, USA, with her husband and cat. When she's not busy writing for children, Shirin spends her days sharing her love of Barefoot Books as an independent bookseller in her community.
Illustrated by - Manal Mirza
Manal Mirza is a designer and illustrator based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Manal creates her paintings digitally and draws inspiration from her experiences. Being a young Muslim American Pakistani woman, her illustrations highlight the different identities that she juggles day to day. Manal brings her own positive outlook to her work, aiming to empower women around the world.
A beautiful story with colorful gorgeous Illustrations! A Ramadan story that celebrates family, community and generosity. We need more stories like this in the world to help us better understand each other and see the good in one another. This is such a relevant story with rich yet developmentally appropriate language to help young children understand displacement and the importance of community and giving back!
ByJamaica,
Posted on
Timely and beautifully written
Rating
100%
Utilizing the misplacement of a much-loved childhood item as a vehicle to help children understand the desolation of loss is a very shrewd device by the author. All children can identify with this experience. Without creating fear, the author garners empathy in this way for Zahra's circumstance and Haleema's displacement.
All picture book writers must select their words precisely since only limited text is available. However, the author of this book is particularly skillful in her choices. Rich language and clever turns of phrases abound in this story. Here are just a few marvelous examples.
"The silver moon hung like a sideways smile."
"A prayer rose from Zahra's heart like a sigh and floated into the starry night."
"Her heart fluttered between sadness and hope."
"Haleema's eyes held a sadness deeper than an ocean."
"Eid Day dawned dazzling bright."
"And the silver sliver of moon winked down on them."
The author seamlessly weaves the meaning and traditions of Ramadan into the story, teaching the reader about this significant Muslim holiday. During Ramadan, fasting is used as a way to connect with God. This is similar to the Jewish tradition of fasting during Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) to focus on one's relationship with God. Also, during Ramadan, there is heightened mindfulness on avoiding hurtful words and actions. Again, very similar to the practice of Jews, during their High Holy Days, asking for forgiveness for any hurt caused, intentional or not. It is striking how these two religions share so many of the same values!
How perfect that this book came out at a time when it is such a relevant and valuable tool. There are so many displaced people from Afghanistan and Ukraine, and this book will nurture empathy for them in so many readers!
ByEve,
Posted on
A Magical Story
Rating
100%
I LOVED the book! I would highly recommend it for children of all ages as well as adults. I connected to Zahra's Blessing in so many ways, it was insightful as well as reflective. I learned so much from the beautiful story that left my heart feeling so full. The Illustrations are on another level, every page is filled with so much beautiful art which leaves the eyes mesmerized. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did! I look forward to reading more from the author :)
BySidra,
Posted on
Amazing book for kids
Rating
100%
Great little book explaining the spirit of Ramazan in simple language. The best thing I liked is the simplicity of the text and the explanation of Ramazan.
