The Little Green Drum, Ramadan book review
There’s been a bit of a revolution in Muslim children’s books in recent years. I’m often pleasantly surprised to by a new discovery on pinterest or amazon. Nowadays there are so many original stories, relatable characters and charming illustrations Alhamdulillah.
When it comes to books about Ramadan, I feel like I see the same books (all great ones) in reviews or reading lists year after year, so I was intrigued when a search of my local library turned up “The little Green Drum”. I was instantly drawn to the bright colourful illustrations and the story itself is just as good.
This book isn’t contemporary, it doesn’t reflect the lives of Muslims during Ramadan today. It’s a nostalgic tale about community and the magic of Ramadan in a time long before the internet and apps, when the “Mu’athin” called the prayer and the “Musaharati” woke everyone up in time to eat.
Anyone who has experienced Ramadan in the Arab world will have come across the Musaharati or as he is called in this book; The “dawn waker-uper” 🙂 beating his drum in the predawn hours of Ramadan to wake everyone up for Suhoor.
The story is set in Palestine and I believe was originally written in Arabic (although I haven’t found a source) which makes it even more fantastic! I’ve so rarely found good children’s books in translation.
The heroine of this story is Samia, whose dad is the “dawn waker-uper” of the town. On the first day of Ramadan, Samia’s dad is too sick to go out so Samia decides to take his place. She picks up the little green drum and off she goes with her little dog by her side and friends to help along the way.
This book is part of the Early Reader series and is meant for kids starting to read on their own but with a parent reading it is suitable (and fun) for kids as young as 3.
I’ve gifted this book to several children in the family and they all loved it. You can find it at Amazon or The book depository.
For a list of great Ramadan books check out this list at The Muslimah Guide.
Have a favourite Ramadan Book for kids? Share in the comments!
Islamic Art for Kids 