Noura's Crescent Moon

Praise

Khan’s lyrical writing and Adani’s soft, smudged illustrations delineate Ramadan practices while building one child’s suspense around waiting for the new moon. Back matter includes more about Ramadan.
—Publishers Weekly

A young girl fasting for the first time during Ramadan anxiously awaits the new moon, which heralds Eid ul-Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast. . . . Khan presents a refreshing take on Ramadan stories by spotlighting the holiday that succeeds it and highlighting customs such as wearing new clothes, visiting friends, painting one’s hands with henna, and eating Eid treats. Adani captures the anticipation of Eid with warm and richly detailed illustrations. . . . Sweet, heartwarming, and family centered.
—Kirkus Reviews

The smudgy, light-dappled textures of Adani’s colored pencil and gouache illustrations convey the hazily energetic feeling of a child’s anticipation. . . . Khan’s clear and sweet prose deftly manages to avoid overt exposition while still making Ramadan traditions accessible for those unfamiliar with them, and several pages of glossary-like back matter provide more comprehensive descriptions of several terms related to this Islamic holiday. Bright and reassuring like the moon, this picture book will appeal to all young readers eager for the traditions that are important to the communities they love.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Noura and her family look for the new moon, which indicates the end of Ramadan and start of Eid ul-Fitr. . . . This story features religious and cultural traditions, and a glossary goes over terms used in the story that readers may not be familiar with. . . . Khan’s writing combined with Adani’s dreamy, colorful illustrations makes this a great addition to library collections.
—School Library Journal