Celebrating Ramadan
Gr 3-7-In this very fine photo-essay, text and photographs combine to present information about Islam and the special month of Ramadan, as well as a picture of the family life of an American fourth grader, Ibraheem. Topics include a general introduction to Islam's beginning, basic beliefs and practices, the revelations received by Muhammad, the Qur'an, the Islamic forms for praying, and more. Ibraheem and his family are shown as they celebrate Ramadan, the month of daylight fasting. The boy's Islamic school, his mosque, his extended family, and the centrality of religion in his life are conveyed in warm, full-color photographs and sympathetic text. Sidebars spotlight a cookie recipe, the Islamic lunar calendar, and a map of that portion of the world where Islam is the predominant religion. Emphasis on the variety of Islamic peoples is provided within Ibraheem's own family, of Bosnian and Egyptian backgrounds. Teachers and librarians might pair Celebrating Ramadan with Mary Matthews' short novel Magid Fasts for Ramadan (Clarion, 1996), set in Egypt, for a child-centered look at one of the world's major religions.Coop Renner, Moreno Elementary School, El Paso, TXCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.