Almost Sunset by Wahab Algarmi is a relatable story of trying to balance it all, but with the addition of being a Muslim which many readers (strong 8 to 12-13) might not be familiar with. Overall, things are sweet, fun and informative. However, my score of a 3 is more of a 3.5 as there were a few things I would have liked to know more about and a few arcs in the story were not my favorite.
The cover gives you how the illustrations will look inside. They are bold, colorful, simple (but not simplistic) and happy. They are not overly detailed, but support the story to give literally the backdrop of what is happening.
And what is happening is how a young Muslim boy is trying to balance his faith and his everyday life in school, homework, and with friends during Ramadan. Though it is his third year fasting, things are different now he is no longer in Yemen and things boil over one day. While there were a few areas that could have been explored more, or differently, it captures the frustrations and wins our main character goes through. You can learn about the culture, but also relate to that balance act of “trying to have it all” and how to do it without burning out.
I was able to read an online reader copy as the book is due mid February 2025. I am not sure I know anyone who I would give this to as a gift, but if I need a book to donate to the library, this would be it.
