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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
A wonderful collection of short stories about Eid and how diverse a holiday it is from family to family
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first thought when finishing this was: I wish I could share this with the second graders I used to work with.
Once Upon and Eid is a true display of just how diverse the Muslim community is. Different ethnicities, different nationalities, different religious experiences and traditions.
And something I especially loved was how prominent family was in pretty much every story. But not just your typical nuclear family. There were single-parents, multiple generations living together, divorced parents and chosen families.
It's all here. And all this diversity is celebrated and written with so much joy and love.
Books like this should be on the shelves of any school library, because - as is so beautifully said in the acknowledgements - it's both a mirror and a window.
My ratings for each of the stories:
• Perfect by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: 4.5★
• Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake by Aisha Saeed: 3.5★
• Kareem Means "Generous" by Asmaa Hussein: 3.5★
• Don’ut Break Tradition by S. K. Ali: 4.5★
• Just Like Chest Armor by Candice Montgomery: 4★
• Gifts by Rukhsana Khan: 3★
• The Feast of Sacrifice by Hena Khan: 3★
• Seraj Captures the Moon by G. Willow Wilson & Sara Alfageeh: 3.5★
• Searching for Blue by N. H. Senzai: 4★
• Creative Fixes by Ashley Franklin: 4★
• Taste by Hanna Alkaf: 4.5★
• Eid Pictures by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: 4★
• Not Only an Only by Huda Al-Marashi: 4★
• Maya Madinah Chooses Joy by Ayesha Mattu: 3.5★
• Eid and Pink Bubble Gum, Insha’Allah by Randa Abdel-Fattah: 5★
Once Upon and Eid is a true display of just how diverse the Muslim community is. Different ethnicities, different nationalities, different religious experiences and traditions.
And something I especially loved was how prominent family was in pretty much every story. But not just your typical nuclear family. There were single-parents, multiple generations living together, divorced parents and chosen families.
It's all here. And all this diversity is celebrated and written with so much joy and love.
Books like this should be on the shelves of any school library, because - as is so beautifully said in the acknowledgements - it's both a mirror and a window.
My ratings for each of the stories:
• Perfect by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: 4.5★
• Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake by Aisha Saeed: 3.5★
• Kareem Means "Generous" by Asmaa Hussein: 3.5★
• Don’ut Break Tradition by S. K. Ali: 4.5★
• Just Like Chest Armor by Candice Montgomery: 4★
• Gifts by Rukhsana Khan: 3★
• The Feast of Sacrifice by Hena Khan: 3★
• Seraj Captures the Moon by G. Willow Wilson & Sara Alfageeh: 3.5★
• Searching for Blue by N. H. Senzai: 4★
• Creative Fixes by Ashley Franklin: 4★
• Taste by Hanna Alkaf: 4.5★
• Eid Pictures by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: 4★
• Not Only an Only by Huda Al-Marashi: 4★
• Maya Madinah Chooses Joy by Ayesha Mattu: 3.5★
• Eid and Pink Bubble Gum, Insha’Allah by Randa Abdel-Fattah: 5★
Overal enjoyment: 5/5
Individual story ratings:
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: Perfect | 4/5
Aisha Saeed: Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake | 5/5
Asmaa Hussein: Kareem Means "Generous" | 3/5
S. K. Ali: Don'ut Break Tradition | 4/5
Candice Montgomery: Just Like Chest Armor | 5/5
Rukhsana Khan: Gifts | 3/5
Hena Khan: The Feast of Sacrifice | 4/5
G. Willow Wilson & Sara Alfageeh: Seraj Captures the Moon | 4/5
N. H. Senzai: Searching for Blue | 5/5
Ashley Franklin: Creative Fixes | 3/5
Hanna Alkaf: Taste | 2/5
Jamilah Thompkisn-Bigelow: Eid Pictures | 3/5
Huda Al-Marashi: Not Only an Only | 5/5
Ayesha Mattu: Maya Madinah Chooses Joy | 4/5
Randa Abdel-Fattah: Eid and Pink Bubble Gum, Insha'Allah | 4/5
Individual story ratings:
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: Perfect | 4/5
Aisha Saeed: Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake | 5/5
Asmaa Hussein: Kareem Means "Generous" | 3/5
S. K. Ali: Don'ut Break Tradition | 4/5
Candice Montgomery: Just Like Chest Armor | 5/5
Rukhsana Khan: Gifts | 3/5
Hena Khan: The Feast of Sacrifice | 4/5
G. Willow Wilson & Sara Alfageeh: Seraj Captures the Moon | 4/5
N. H. Senzai: Searching for Blue | 5/5
Ashley Franklin: Creative Fixes | 3/5
Hanna Alkaf: Taste | 2/5
Jamilah Thompkisn-Bigelow: Eid Pictures | 3/5
Huda Al-Marashi: Not Only an Only | 5/5
Ayesha Mattu: Maya Madinah Chooses Joy | 4/5
Randa Abdel-Fattah: Eid and Pink Bubble Gum, Insha'Allah | 4/5
Reading the stories about how Muslims in around the world celebrate Eid with their small community makes me nostalgic. As an adult living in a country with muslims as majority, I didn't feel that much joy anymore. As a kid, Eid al-Fitr were about praying to masjid or the town square, buying some balloon or cotton candy, walking home with firecrackers everywhere, looking up the sky for air balloon, eating ice cream, ketupat and opor ayam, family gathering, going to the neighborhood and getting a little money. But now, all of the tradition has almost gone. Now, the routine is just praying, going back home, and eating.
So it's kind of envious to see these kids enjoying their Eid with their own traditions, new clothes, presents, festivals, and such. I wish the celebration here will bring more festivity in the future, bringing back the more joyful tradition.
Their stories opened my eyes that even though we are the same muslims, but we have different cultural background that makes the Eid celebration differs. It's nice to see how they celebrate the feast, how these kids feel about being muslims, about fasting on Ramadan, and how excited they are waiting for Eid to come. While it makes me feel nostalgic, it also makes me think that I should have still the same feeling as them. That I should feel the same excitement no matter how old I am. Because Eid is a feast, and we shall fill it with much happiness and joy.
So it's kind of envious to see these kids enjoying their Eid with their own traditions, new clothes, presents, festivals, and such. I wish the celebration here will bring more festivity in the future, bringing back the more joyful tradition.
Their stories opened my eyes that even though we are the same muslims, but we have different cultural background that makes the Eid celebration differs. It's nice to see how they celebrate the feast, how these kids feel about being muslims, about fasting on Ramadan, and how excited they are waiting for Eid to come. While it makes me feel nostalgic, it also makes me think that I should have still the same feeling as them. That I should feel the same excitement no matter how old I am. Because Eid is a feast, and we shall fill it with much happiness and joy.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
short story anthology
My favorite short stories are "Perfect," "Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake," "Kareem Means 'Generous'," and "Not Only an Only."
My favorite short stories are "Perfect," "Yusuf and the Great Big Brownie Mistake," "Kareem Means 'Generous'," and "Not Only an Only."
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes