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 dress in traditional clothing and 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.

A visit with Grandmother in the Middle East is always special for Yasmin, but this time it is even more so in this picture book about faith and family. On her first night visiting her grandmother, Yasmin is wakened by the muezzin at the nearby mosque calling the faithful to prayer. She watches from her bed as her grandmother prepares to pray. During her stay, Yasmin's grandmother makes her prayer clothes, buys her a prayer rug, and teaches her the five prayers that Muslims perform over the course of a day. When it's time for Yasmin to board a plane and return home, her grandmother gives her a present. When Yasmin opens the present when she gets home, she discovers a prayer clock in the shape of a mosque, with an alarm that sounds like a muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. Maha Addasi's warm and endearing story, richly illustrated by Ned Gannon, is the recipient of an Arab American Book Award, Honor Book. Featuring text both in English and Arabic, this is a perfect title for children learning more about Middle Eastern cultures and language.

Sophia wants to fast for Ramadan this year. Her grandma tells her that fasting helps make a person sparkly—and Sophia loves sparkles. But when her attempt at fasting fails, Sophia must find another way to participate. This lovely multigenerational family story explores the many ways to take part in the Ramadan holiday.

I vow that this will be my first successful fast for Ramadan. My family does this every year, even though I’ve been to a mosque exactly twice. My oppressive parents also forbid dating, even though Peter might be my soul mate. How can I get him to notice me? Will I ever feel like a typical American girl?

The Most Powerful Night is a heartwarming Ramadan story of angels, sweet prayers and blessed nights! It is about the night of power and glory, Laylat-Al-Qadr. This is a night so special that it only comes once a year. What is the most powerful night, when is it and why is it powerful are all questions Laila has! She wants to know everything about this beautiful night. Join Laila and her Mom for this bedtime story of "The Most Powerful Night, Laylat-Al-Qadr"

Ramadan, the month of fasting, Doesn't begin all at once. It begins with a whisper And a prayer And a wish. Muslims all over the world celebrate Ramadan and the joyful days of Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of the month of fasting as the most special time of year. This lyrical and inspiring picture book captures the wonder and joy of this great annual event, from the perspective of a child. Accompanied by Iranian inspired illustrations, 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. Written and illustrated by Muslims, this is a book for all children who celebrate Ramadan and those in the wider communities who want to understand why this is such a special experience for Muslims.

“In this satisfying, lyrical memoir,” an American woman discovers her true faith—and true love—by converting to Islam and moving to Egypt (Publishers Weekly). Raised in Boulder, Colorado, G. Willow Wilson moved to Egypt and converted to Islam shortly after college. Having written extensively on modern religion and the Middle East in publications such as The Atlantic Monthly and The New York Times Magazine, Wilson now shares her remarkable story of finding faith, falling in love, and marrying into a traditional Islamic family in this “intelligently written and passionately rendered memoir” (The Seattle Times, 27 Best Books of 2010). Despite her atheist upbringing, Willow always felt a connection to god. Around the time of 9/11, she took an Islamic Studies course at Boston University, and found the teachings of the Quran astounding, comforting, and profoundly transformative. She decided to risk everything to convert to Islam, embarking on a journey across continents and into an uncertain future. Settling in Cairo where she taught English, she soon met and fell in love with Omar, a passionate young man with a mild resentment of the Western influences in his homeland. Torn between the secular West and Muslim East, Willow—with her shock of red hair, shaky Arabic, and Western candor—struggled to forge a “third culture” that might accommodate her values as well as her friends and family on both sides of the divide. Part travelogue, love story, and memoir, “Wilson has written one of the most beautiful and believable narratives about finding closeness with God” (The Denver Post).

This activity makes learning about Ramadan fun and engaging. This lesson is filled with ready-to-use reproducibles, fun facts, puzzles, crafts, and more. Turn holidays and cultural celebrations into learning experiences for your students.

Experience the magic, excitement, and happiness that surround holidays and cultural celebrations. Geared toward engaging students in grades K-2, The Big Book of Holidays and Cultural Celebrations is filled with hands-on activities, fun facts, puzzles, crafts, and brainteasers that make learning about holidays fun and easy. Each activity in this resource can be used in the classroom or at home.