Lailah’s Lunchbox - a book about Ramadan

Lailah’s Lunchbox - a book about Ramadan by Reem Furuqi

Lailah is in a new school in a new country, thousands of miles from her old home, and missing her old friends. When Ramadan begins, she is excited that she is finally old enough to participate in the fasting but worried that her classmates won’t understand why she doesn’t join them in the lunchroom.

Lailah solves her problem with help from the school librarian and her teacher and in doing so learns that she can make new friends who respect her beliefs. This gentle, moving story from first-time author Reem Faruqi comes to life in Lea Lyon’s vibrant illustrations. Lyon uses decorative arabesque borders on intermittent spreads to contrast the ordered patterns of Islamic observances with the unbounded rhythms of American school days.

Fountas & Pinnell Level N

Ages: 7-10 years

Format: book

Page Count: 32 pages

For added enrichment, follow along with this read aloud of Lailah's Lunchbox (Click Here)!

Maestra's Memo: Reading can be a powerful tool for fostering tolerance & multicultural awareness.  Books can build bridges between people & cultures. Readimg helps children to travel to different times & places. Children can explore their own traditions & variations of those traditions. They can also explore traditions & practices that may not be familiar to them. Through reading, children can learn to celebrate diversity & find ways to connect with others. 

Check out other books & resources offered by Maestra Casiano to explore different holidays (Click Here)!