The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story - Hardcover

Khalil, Aya

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316319333 ISBN 13: 9780316319331

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books, 2023

Synopsis

★ "A beautiful story of joy, tradition, and family."―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Celebrate the end of Ramadan with this luminous Muslim family story about faith, history, and delicious foods.

On the night before Eid, it’s finally time to make special sweet treats: Teita’s famous ka’ak. Zain eagerly unpacks the ingredients from his grandmother’s bulky suitcase: ghee from Khalo Karim, dates from Amo Girgis, and honey from Tant Tayseer—precious flavors all the way from Egypt. Together with Mama and Teita, Zain follows his family’s recipe and brings to life Eid songs and prayers, pharaonic history, and the melodies and tastes of his Egyptian heritage This Muslim holiday story, featuring a delicious ka’ak recipe, is a satisfying addition to a joyful and expansive Eid.

A CCBC Children’s Choice Best Book of the Year

About this title

About the Author

Aya Khalil is the award-winning author of The Night Before Eid: A Muslim Family Story and The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story, which is an NCTE’s Charlotte Huck Award Recommended Book and the winner of the Arab American Book Award, among other honors. Aya holds a master’s degree in education and works as a freelance journalist, whose articles have been featured in The Huffington Post and Brit & Co., among other publications. She immigrated from Egypt to the United States when she was young and currently lives in the Midwest. Aya invites you to visit her online at ayakhalil.com

Rashin Kheiriyeh was born in Khorramshahr, Iran. She received a PhD in illustration and an MFA in graphic design from Alzahra University in Tehran. She has published over one hundred books and created illustrations for The New Yorker and The New York Times. Rashin received the 2021 Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picture Book of the Year Award and was a 2017 Maurice Sendak Fellow. She won the New Horizon Award at the Bologna Book Fair. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and lives in Washington, DC. Rashin invites you to visit her online at rashinart.com

Reviews

PreS-Gr 2-Zain's Teita (Grandma) has just arrived from Egypt and is going to teach him how to make ka'ak, the sweet Eid cookie. The little boy plans to bring the treats to school the next day and share them with his classmates. He is hopeful they will be a hit. As they mix the dough, Teita and his mom tell Zain all about their Eid celebrations back in Egypt; these are beautifully conveyed by illustrations of families staying up all night baking and then distributing the delicacies to family and friends the next morning. As they continue to shape and mold the cookies, there is one moment of panic when Zain drops the mold and is sure he has ruined everything. Luckily, Teita is kind and talks to him about practicing patience. All ends well as Zain himself comes up with a way to rectify it. The next day arrives, and his classmates love the delectable cookies and even ask for the recipe. Not only is there lots to learn from this tale but there is also plenty for young ones to see; the illustrations are done in cozy hues of pink, teal, orange, and black by award-winning illustrator Kheiriyeh. Children will delight in spying Zain's mischievous black-and-white cat, who is a vital part of the action. Back matter includes a recipe and pictures of the author and her family, as well as an explanation of Eid. VERDICT A solid and worthwhile purchase.-Amy Nolanα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
• Publication date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0316319333
• ISBN 13: 9780316319331
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Kheiriyeh Rashin
• Number of pages: 40