I know ages ago I read a story about a child who wanted to celebrate Ramadan by fasting like the rest of their family, but I honestly cannot remember the title. However, I do not think it matters as I also remember not liking it a lot, and I know why now. It was missing the vital piece of Aliya’s Secret: A Story of Ramadan has. That book dealt just with the fasting element, and Fairda Zaman covers so much more in Aliya’s Secret. They talk about the meanings being the why of fasting, the different rituals that are followed, and even how there is more to the celebration than just fasting.
I was unaware of things like the acts of kindness, which is another element of the month-long celebration. And as an adult reading this, I enjoyed the fact about how similar religions are. The biggest element is Kindness in their teachings. Therefore, this book allows us to see how similar and different we are, but really the core values are the same. And of course I cannot not mention the illustrations. If the fact that the book was based on the author’s own childhood experiences was not enough, their loving illustrations would be worth it. They are colorful, bold, solid, glossy, and detailed well. The world comes alive, there are familiar things, and new things to learn about.
This picture book, due mid-October 2023, is comfort food reading, plus informative. This combination allows it to be adapted to multiple ages. The authors afterward is a great addition.
