30 Children’s Books about Ramadan

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Inside: Children’s Books about Ramadan. Here are some of the best Ramadan books for kids – 30 Ramadan and Eid ul fitr stories that your child will love to read year after year.

Whether it is making a countdown calendar or a Ramadan basket for your child, Ramadan and Eid books are a great way to set the theme and get into that magical Ramadan spirit.

In the past 11 years, shopping for my children, I have found some amazing Islamic books and toys. I have a collection of the best Islamic toys and gifts for kids but here is a list just for the holy month!

Ramadan Books help little children get excited for the month!

A month before Ramadan, my children and I start pulling out our favorite Ramadan themed books. It is the best way to get children excited about the holy month. We make countdown calendars, tweak our Ramadan routine for the babies, start planning our chores and then printing those Ramadan Printable Activities.

The Best Children’s Books about Ramadan

These books below are some of the highest rated, most popular books on the topic. From teaching children about the Muslim culture from around the world to traditions that we follow in our own family, I hope these books become a part of your library too.

Before I start listing the books, I must add a word of caution. Not all these books will appeal to all families. Some of these are just good for introducing Ramadan to non muslim audience who may just need a little info into what Ramadan is and how muslim families celebrate it. Muslim families however may want books that have a bit more information. Then there are babies and toddlers… they may only want light, fun reading with bright pictures and few words. So, depending on what your need is, I hope you will enjoy my selection.

Please note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means, if you buy from my link, you will not be charged extra but I may earn a small commission for referring you to these links. You can read my full Disclosure here.

Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story

Night of the moon written by Hena Khan and illustrated by Julie Paschkis is a story of Yasmeen, a seven-year-old Pakistani-American girl.

‘The Night of the Moon’ is about ‘Chaand Raat‘ (as we call it in Urdu) in desi-land. 🙂 The story is filled with warmth and beauty, all about the tradition of Ramadan and Eid. The book has beautiful lush illustrations with a glimpse into Islamic art. It is beautiful story that offers a window into the modern Muslim culture.

Laila’s Lunch Box

Written by Reem Faruqi and Lea Lyon. Laila’s Lunch box is a perfect book if you want to introduce Ramadan to a classroom. 🙂

Laila has moved from Abu Dhabi in the Middle East to the US. She is very excited to finally be old enough to keep a fast but… will her class understand? What will they think? Do they even know about Ramadan? She is very anxious and eager to escape the lunchroom.

The story is how she solves her problem with the help of the school librarian and her teacher. She learns that she can make new friends who respect her beliefs.

Laila’s Lunch Box is a very gentle and moving story from first-time author Reem Faruqi. Lea Lyon’s illustrations are vibrant and decorative, capturing the contrast of Islamic design and American school days.

If you have a child 6years and above, I highly recommend this for a school reading.

Ramadan (Celebrate the World)  

Ramadan -Celebrate the World is a board book which is part of the Celebrations Across the World series. This book is written by Hannah Eliot and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh.

It is a very pretty book with beautiful Persian illustrations drawn by Rashin Kheiriyeh. It is not a story book but just a general information about Ramadan. The sentences are small, the pictures are very pretty. If you have children 4 years or under, I am sure they will enjoy looking at it.

It’s Ramadan, Curious George!

Everybody’s favorite the Curious George book by Hena Khan and H.A. Rey!Children love this book for their favorite cartoon character Curious George.

George is celebrating with his friend Kareem and his family. George helps Kareem with his first fast and joins in the evening celebration of tasting treats and enjoying a special meal. Then, George helps make gift baskets to donate to the needy, and watches for the crescent moon with the Man in the Yellow Hat. Finally, George joins in the Eid festivities to mark the end of his very first Ramadan.

This playful board book is perfect for gifts or as a first book for little toddlers and preschoolers. It makes a great holiday gift for all fans of Curious George—those who celebrate Ramadan, and those who are learning about it for the first time!

Under the Ramadan Moon

Written by Sylvia Whitman and illustrated by Sue Williams, Under the Ramadan Moon is a lyrical book about Ramadan. It is a cute book with pretty pictures but the information (facts) at the end isn’t correct. 

It is good for babies and toddlers as a light reading. If you are looking for a book that has rhythm then this is a good addition to your library. But older children may question the facts. 

The illustrations are really nice though…

My First Ramadan (My First Holiday) by Karen Katz

Another cute little book for babies and toddlers. The illustrations are really cute, the narrative is from a child’s perspective. It is just a story of how children see Ramadan. Suitable for 4 years and under.

Ramadan Moon

Written by Na’ima B. Robert and illustrated by Shirin Adl is a lyrical book about Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr.   

‘This lyrical and inspiring picture book captures the wonder and delight of this great annual event. Accompanied by illustrations inspired by Iranian art, the story follows the waxing of the moon from the first new crescent to full moon and waning until Eid is heralded by the first sighting of the second new moon. This book is for all children who celebrate Ramadan and those in the wider communities who want to understand why it is such a special experience for Muslims.’

It is a beautiful keepsake book! I love Na’ima Roberts so I’ll just not go on and on about how much Love this book.

The white nights of Ramadan 

Written by Maha Addasi and illustrated by Ned Gannon. This picture book talks about a Ramadan tradition in the Middle East.

A young girl Noor, who lives with her family in Kuwait, prepares for the Muslim festival known as Girgian along with her family.

‘Mid-Ramadan is a special time for families in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. These middle days are known as “the three whites,” because they include the day of the full moon, the day before, and the day after. It’s a time when children, dressed in traditional clothes, go from house to house collecting treats from their neighbors. When Noor sees the full moon rising, signaling the coming of Girgian, she and her brothers prepare for the fun. Together, they decorate the bags they’ll carry to collect the candies. But along with the fun, Noor remembers the true meaning of Ramadan: spending time with family and sharing with those less fortunate.’

If you follow this tradition in your family or if you are looking to discuss the different Muslim traditions at Ramadan, this a good book.

Moon Watchers 

Written by Reza Jalali  (Author) and Anne Sibley O’Brien  (Illustrator) is this award winning book. It has won the Skipping Stones Multicultural Honor Award and the Alliance Award as well as be the finalist for Maine Literary Awards.

Let me just quote what is already written about them because I cannot add anything more. 🙂

‘Looking through the tall trees in their backyard in Maine, Shirin and her dad search for a glimpse of the new moon, the sign that the month of Ramadan has begun. Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world pray, fast, and pay special attention to doing good deeds. Shirin is nine and thinks she should be able to fast like her older brother Ali, but her parents feel she is still too young to go without food and water all day. When Shirin catches Ali sneaking food after school, she wonders: Should she tattle or is this an opportunity for a good deed? Shirin feels left out when the others break their fasts to have their own meals after dark and in the early morning, before it is light again. But then her grandmother tells a story that shows her a way she can feel more a part of Ramadan and the traditions and closeness her family enjoys during this special month of the year. Her good deeds result in a surprise for everyone!

For Muslim people around the world, Ramadan is a month-long time for prayer, fasting, and charity. This “month of blessing” is not viewed as a time of hardship but instead as a time to develop self-discipline and increase awareness of and compassion for the poor and the hungry. It is a time to deepen connection with Allah through prayer and community. For this much-anticipated month, Muslim people gather together in homes, shops, and restaurants to break their fasts and pray.

Islam uses a lunar calendar, so the timing of Ramadan depends on the cycles of the moon. Ramadan lasts a lunar month: from new moon to full moon and back to new moon. Ramadan always begins on the first night of the new moon of the ninth month of the year. Because the lunar calendar’s months are shorter than the solar calendar’s months, Ramadan appears to “move” from year to year. As a result, fasting (no food or water) during the winter months is not quite so much a challenge as fasting during long, hot summer days.

It is the custom to start the day with a pre-dawn meal called suhoor, then not eat or drink again until after the sun has set. That post-daylight meal is called iftar. Sharing these pre-dawn and post-sunset meals is an important part of community and family bonding, which is part of why Shirin feels a bit left out.

Ramadan is as important to many Muslims as Christmas and Easter are to many Christians, and Passover, Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah are to many Jewish people. Ramadan ends with a gift-giving celebration called Eid ul-Fitr, which means “festival of breaking the fast.”

Moon Watchers could promote conversations about:

• Sibling rivalry
• Making ethical decisions
• Food, culture, and religious holidays
• Lessons that can be learned from the experience of fasting
• The role of the lunar calendar in Islam and other religions
• Diverse family traditions and practices for holidays

Tell me more about Ramadan

This book is by Bachar Karroum and Tanja Vercelija. I am really enjoying Bachar Karroum books so… I am happy to be including this in the list. This is one of the best Ramadan books.

The story is about Laila, a curious young Muslim girl that wants to learn about Ramadan. Through a fun story, children are taught the religious concepts while also sparking their curiosity for further knowledge.

The book talks about the five pillars of Islam and offers children a positive perception of the Islamic holy month of mercy, the Ramadan.

The description says: ‘This Islamic story has been thought and written for Muslim children born and raised outside of their parents’ country of origin (i.e.: European and Muslim American, etc.), to help them understand the notion of Ramadan in a simple and fun way, mentioning that Ramadan is a lot more than simply not eating and drinking from dawn until sunset. This Muslim book uses Islamic concepts coming from the Quran (Qur’an) and explained in a way that is easily understood by Muslim kids.’

It is a good book for both muslim children and also to introduce non muslims to what Ramadan is and why we celebrate it.

Children will learn and be exposed to different notions through this Ramadan book. They will:

• Discover that Allah sent the Quran (Qur’an) during this month.
• Know that Ramadan is a month of mercy where the doors of paradise are open, so we increase prayers (salat) and the recitation of the Quran (Qur’an).
• Learn that Ramadan is more than simply not eating and drinking from dawn until sunset.
• Realize that Ramadan helps understand the poor and to avoid wasting food.
• Know the importance of giving charity and helping those in need.
• Be reminded to always be forgiving, loving, caring and generous.
• Learn to maintain good habits after Ramadan.
• Appreciate the importance of collaboration and family spirit.
• Learn that kids are rewarded by Allah when making good deeds.
• Get a positive perception of the month of mercy, Ramadan.

A party in Ramadan

A party in Ramadan by Asma Mobin-Uddin MD and Laura Jacobsen is Parents’ Choice Award book.

It is a charming story where a young Muslim girl is determined to do the right thing during her first Ramadan fast.

Leena is excited. She is too young to fast every day but she wants to fast each Friday instead. When Leena receives an invitation to a party which happens to fall on Friday, she has a dilemma. She doesn’t want to miss the party, but she doesn’t want to miss fasting either. So Leena decides to go to the party, but not eat or drink anything at all. Later, she will join her family for the meal known as iftar, when the daily fast is broken. But when Leena, who is the only Muslim at the party, sees her friends enjoying fresh lemonade and chocolate cake, her stomach starts to growl and her head begins to hurt. Will she keep her Ramadan fast?

It is a lovely story.

Hassan and Aneesa Love Ramadan

By Yasmeen Rahim , Omar Burgess is part of the Hassan and Aneesa series. 

It is the night before Ramadan and Hassan and Aneesa are excited for it to begin. In Ramadan they will read the Qur’an, give charity, share food with neighbours and try to fast. 

Fasting and Dates – A Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr Stories

This book is by Jonny Zucker and Jan Barger is a part of the Festival Time series that has books about children celebrating their festivals and cultures. The stories are in an cultural setting showing how families celebrate their holidays. This one is about Ramadan. It is a good book for explaining Ramadan to those who don’t celebrate. 

Husna and the Eid Party

Written by Fawzia Gilani. This book is about Eid.  

Everyone loves to be invited to an Eid party, so when Husna hears about Maryam’s party she can’t wait to get her invitation. Throughout the week Husna tries to get Maryam’s attention to see if she can remind her, but, every time she does, something gets in her way. Husna begins to wonder if she’ll ever be invited to Maryam’s party.

Ilyas and Duck Fantastic Eid ul Fitr

This book is by Omar Khawaja and Leo Antolini. It is part of the Ilyas and Duck series. 

Eid-al-Fitr is here! It’s time to celebrate! But what is Eid all about? Join Ilyas & Duck in this fantastically delightful story as they explore the fun and excitement of Eid while learning about the charitable nature of it all. Eid has never been so much fun!

Let’s Celebrate Ramadan and Eid

This book is by Ajanta Chakraborty (Author), Vivek Kumar(Author) and Janelle Diller(Editor). It is from the series on Indian festivals. If you are an Indian family or live in India or may be talking about Ramadan to an Indian audience, this may be good. 

Amal’s Eid

This book is by Bharat Books and written by Amy Maranville. It is also a part of a Series about Indian Festivals called Toddler Tales. Good story but it may not be liked by many Muslim families as they mention that the family likes to gather around and sing on Eid. I get it that they may be referring to Qawwali (a form of singing) in Bengal but it is not Islamic so… you may have to explain to your children that Muslims don’t listen to music.

I’ve written the full review of the book here. Amal’s Eid.

Amal’s Ramadan

The second book in the series, written by Amy Maranville, is about Amal keeping a fast. If you have a child who is starting to fast then this book is good conversation starter to talk about the things that can go wrong.

Amal goes on a Summer Camp while fasting and he collapses. If you have a very eager little boy (like my son) who wants to fast, this book helps you talk to them on things they should not be doing. I have a post on Intermittent Fasting that can help you more on this topic coupled with this book.

The Gift of Ramadan

by Rabiah York Lumbard and Laura K. Horton. Oh I love this book so much! It is one of the most beautiful books I have seen! From the illustrations and pages to the words, you can feel the spirit of Ramadan in it! 

‘Sophia wants to fast for Ramadan this year. She tries to keep busy throughout the day so she won’t think about food. But when the smell of cookies is too much, she breaks her fast early. How can she be part of the festivities now?’

First, the fact that it has so much diversity and then it is one book where adults don’t say to children that they can’t fast in Ramadan because they aren’t of age. It is a book where the grandma consoles her with you can try again the next day.

If you have children who are not the age to fast yet, here is a beautiful book on how they can be part of Ramadan. Perfect for Muslims and non muslims alike because it shows the true spirit of Ramadan and that there is no one way to be a part of it.

Ramadan Around the World 

By Ndaa Hassan( Author), Minha Kauser(Editor), Azra Momin (Illustrator) is one of my FAVORITE books!

‘Join the Ramadan Moon as it travels the world to visit children and their families observing Ramadan. Ramadan Around The World showcases how various cultures celebrate the Islamic holiday. The purpose of this book is to illustrate the diversity of the global Muslim community. Children of various nationalities and abilities are represented throughout the book. Families of diverse sizes and demographics have also been equally represented. This book is an adventurous read for children and useful as an educational tool for educators.’

I am going to be using this book this year with my children to talk about food and cultures. Really excited for it!

Amira’s Totally Chocolate World

This book is by J. Samia Mair. It is a super cool story about a  little girl who wishes for a chocolate Eid.

Amira loves chocolate so much that she asks God to make everything Chocolate. Then she wakes up on Eid day…

It is a fun book!

Nabeel’s New Pants: An Eid Tale

Written by by Fawzia Gilani-Williams , Proiti Roy is a story about Nabeel and his family. If you grew up in the Indian subcontinent or have ties with it, you may have heard this old fable in Urdu. 

‘Ramadan has come to an end. The fast is over, and tomorrow the celebration of Eid will begin. Nabeel decides to buy each of his family members something special to wear for the holiday. But while he’s choosing, the shopkeeper persuades him also to buy a gift for himself—a pair of new pants that are too long! Nabeel asks his wife, his mother, and his daughter to hem them, but no one has the time—everyone is busy preparing for the festivities. Will Nabeel be able to wear his new pants to celebrate Eid?’

It shows the busy-ness of Eid time and how everyone wants to do good. It has a very funny end.  Children are sure to want to read it over and over again.

Aminah and Aisha’s Eid Gift

This book is by Fawzia Gilani-Williams again. We have this book in our library. It is my girls favorite. Its s about Fitrah and Charity.

This is the story of two little girls, Aminah and Aisha who decide to make special Eid boxes for the less fortunate members of their community. Through this act of kindness, they discover that the true joy of Eid lies in giving, rather than in receiving.

A very good book to talk about Ramadan being a month of doing good deeds and giving charity. It is one that my kids love reading at Ramadan time.

An Eid for Everyone 

By Hina Islam is a book that talks about traditions. Hina art, gifts… the fun at end is explained. This is a self published book but the kindle version is not good as it misses out the pictures.

Rashad’s Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr

It is good for children 4 years and under. I like that its s diverse book. Good for reading to first graders or less.

Ramadan Activity Books:

While I am writing about Children’s books about Ramadan, I think it is just as important that I mention the activity books. Here are some popular ones.

30 Days of Learning and Good Deeds – Bachar Karroum Accompany your child through this 30-day journey so they can become a better version of themselves, one day at a time. This book invites young ones to take action daily with good deeds, learn more about the Prophet, about His personality traits, discover more about Islam and read simple Surah of the Quran in English.

Ramadan and Fasting Activity Book (Discover Islam Sticker Activity Books)

by Aysenur Gunes  (Author), Ercan Polat (Illustrator)

Discover what makes Ramadan such a special time of year for Muslims with this fun sticker activity book. It features dot-to-dot drawings, coloring fun, puzzles to solve, and over sixty stickers to stick.

This book introduces children to the basics of fasting, including who doesn’t have to, when you do and do not eat, and the importance of family and friends in Ramadan.

Ramadan and Eid Color and Craft ebook

This book is by me – Ayesha I. Siddiqua. 🙂 I wrote it together with my children to create crafts, decor and DIY toys and gifts for Ramadan and Eid. It is not in Print form yet but with all the printable sheets in it, I am sure you will enjoy it more on a tablet. Just download and save, print what you need and enjoy crafting together.

Get the book here.

Books about Ramadan in other Languages

¡Es Ramadán y Eid al-Fitr! (It’s Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr!)

This book is in Spanish by Richard Sebra (Author) I haven’t read it but I thought it would be interesting for children who speak or can speak Spanish. (I’d love reviews of it!)

 

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