I enjoyed reading Celebrating Ramadan. I am not too familiar with the holiday however I know it is an important part of some family's culture. I was excited to read more about it to become more familiar and knowledgeable about the holiday. I think the book is very well written. Although the pages seem long and lengthy, the text is simple and straight forward. The pronunciation of the words is also located in the text to make it easier. I think this is a great book for older students to read to become more informed on the holiday. ( )

I thought that Celebrating Ramadan by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith, was an excellent book to read because it was well-written and it had excellent images. The goal of the book is to help the reader understand the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.
The book, Celebrating Ramadan is an informational text that teaches the reader about the Muslim holiday, Ramadan. The book talks about how the holiday started, how it is celebrated, as well as the traditions and customs that are practiced during the holiday.
I thought that Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith did a wonderful job at writing the book. The elements of the holiday were very well explained. For instance, in the book, she talks about the importance of the Quran to Muslims. She gives the reader detail about the Quran such as when it was created, and how it is used. Also, she offers more in-depth analysis about the Quran in the sidebar. I also like that there are only one or two paragraphs on each page. By spacing the book out like this I believe it helps keep the reader from getting overwhelmed with information.
In addition to the writing, I also like the images. The book has a wide range of images that help the reader better understand the topic that is being discussed. For instance, in the book she talks about the big dinner Muslims have after fasting for Ramadan. She shows pictures of the food they eat and how they prepare the food. This not only helps the reader better visualize the topic, but it also helps the reader see how the food was prepared just in case they want to make it themselves. I also like that she uses a picture of an American family when she is talking about the Quran. This was my favorite picture because it helps the reader understand that Muslims can come from anywhere and that they do not have a distinct apperance. ( )

One thing I liked about this book is that it is both an informational text and a biography. The book follows Ibraheem and has family through the Eid celebration, but also includes information about Eid through text and images. For example, on page 12 and 13, Ibraheem is showing how to pray by showing all the steps. The fact that there is a family to focus on should keep students focus on the information and make it a much more fun read. The book includes an index in the back, which makes it easier for students to find information they are looking for.
The point of the book is to show Eid from beginning to end through the eyes of one family. ( )

This book follows a nine year old Muslim boy as his family celebrates Ramadan. The book provides a concise history of Islam, as well as a description of what the Islamic religion is based on. The language of some of the prayers are provided, which is a nice addition. The story is illustrated with photographs of the family.

A very good children's book worth reading to children in elementary schools. It surprisingly gives you in depth information about all the activities that take place in the blessed month of Ramadan. The pictures by Migdale are very illustrative to what a real, fun, mixed Muslim family does during this blessed month of fasting. The main character is a boy whose mother is from Egypt and father from Bosnia. The story is about how this child lives in America differently from Americans mainly because of his race and religion. ( )