A review by bookishaddictions
Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices by S.K. Ali, Aisha Saeed

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

So I decided during the Christmas season to try to fit some non-Christian holiday stories as well; one of these books ended up being Once Upon An Eid. I found the stories were intriguing, as I loved getting to see the world from a different perspective. I also found the collection to be informative, as I had not previously known much about Eid or its significance within Islam. I learned about the beauty of young women first adopting the hijab, the emphasis placed on family, and the preaching of love. While I knew that the media often unfairly (and offensively) portray Muslim characters, I was thrilled to experience these stories that showed how beautiful Islam can and is meant to be. This anthology would be a great way to open the discussion between parents and their children about different cultures and beliefs, as these stories are told from the perspectives of younger children and teens. These stories display how that despite all of our differences in cultural practices, we are all human- ultimately we all need to love and be loved. I found this anthology on accident while browsing the seasonal reads category on Libby, but I encourage you now to go find this one with a purpose- to build understanding and to learn of a holiday that likely holds significance for someone within your own community 🕌🌝