Once upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices, edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

 

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ali, S.K & Saeed, Aisha (Eds). 2020. ONCE UPON AN EID: STORIES OF HOPE AND JOY BY 15 MUSLIM VOICES. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 978-1-4197-5403-6.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

This is a collection of stories about a special time of year for Muslim believers.  Told from young people’s perspectives, the stories are about the gifts, food, clothes, and traditions around the end of Ramadan.  Family and joy are central themes to all of the celebrations. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

I did not know much about the celebration of Eid.  I had a superficial understanding of Ramadan, but I did not know anything about the celebration at the end of it.  Like many other festive occasions, friends and family are the common denominator. Ancient cultural traditions are juxtaposed alongside modern day elements in these stories.  In “Just Like Chest Armor” by Montgomery, the young girls are posting Tik Tok videos while discussing hijab. 

I was happy to read stories about young women being excited to wear hijab. I had unfairly assumed that young Muslim women are forced to wear their head coverings, but the characters in these stories see it as an honor. The fashion, color, and beauty of hijab was mentioned in several stories.  

Also there was a wide variety of ethnicities represented in these stories. The characters and their families came from all over the world- Guinea, Algeria, Australia, Pakistan, Iraq, and more.  It was wonderful to read about so many different nationalities sharing a common celebration because of their faith.  Each celebration was influenced by the ethnic roots of the family. 

Some of the food mentioned was different from what I am accustomed to, and some of it was very familiar.  Hot chocolate, cinnamon buns, brownies and yogurt are all common to me.  However, bean pies, as well as fuul, lontong, sambal, and nasi impit are foods I had never heard of before. I had to Google them!  

These stories were told in a variety of ways- short stories, some in verse, and then one graphic/comic story. The language used was another mixture of familiar and unfamiliar. I had to look up a few phrases because the language of the Koran, Arabic, is used in several stories.  For example, Insha’Allah means, “if God wills it.”

D. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPTS

ALA Notable Children's Books, 2021

Booklist starred, March 2020: “This special anthology about family traditions, sharing meals, giving presents, and delighting in the cultural uniqueness of people all over the world isn’t just for those who celebrate Eid; it’s for all who want to share and learn about the holidays.”

Kirkus Reviews starred, March 2020: “The diversity within the collection is impressive, including several blended families and a recently converted one, and while the writing varies in style and quality, each story is engaging, full of emotion and thought…This thoughtful and uplifting volume will keep readers turning pages year-round; here’s to many more.”

Publishers Weekly starred, April 2020

School Library Connection starred, March 2020

E. CONNECTIONS

This book would be a great tool for learning and discussing Islam’s holidays and celebrations.  There are other great books out there for upper elementary and middle grades about this topic.  Some of those titles are Night of the Moon by Hena Khan, A party in Ramadan by Asma Mobbin-Uddin, and Moon Watchers: Shirin’s Ramadan Miracle by Reza Jalali.