During the month of Ramadan, practicing Muslims fast each day between sunrise and sunset. This year, seven- year-old Magid wants to fast, too, but his parents say he is too young. Determined to fast anyway, Magid gets permission from Mama to skip breakfast each day and then secretly gives his lunch to the geese in the irrigation ditch behind his house. But he comes to discover that fasting is far more difficult than he imagined and, more importantly, that honesty is as important as devotion. While Magid's mother would not have kept her head covered in the house as the full-color illustrations depict, this is nonetheless a welcome story set in Egypt about a contemporary Muslim family. (Ages 6-9)

It is the first day of Ramadan, the month when good Muslims eat nothing and drink nothing all day, every day, from sunrise to sunset. Mama and Baba have told Magid he isn't old enough to fast, but even Magid's sister, Aisha, is fasting, and Magid doesn't want to wait. Set in present-day Egypt, Magid Fasts for Ramadan satisfyingly recounts Magid's struggle and its surprising and happy resolution, and offers an illuminating introduction to the beliefs and practices of Islam.