J. Samia Mair

Concerned that she hadn't yet found an Eid gift for her mother, young Sarah goes for a walk in the woods near her home, enjoying the wintry landscape, in all its pristine beauty. It is on this walk, in an untouched spot, that she discovers the "perfect gift" - the first flower of the year - both for her mother, and for the entire family. Rushing home, Sarah finds the supplies she needs to really present the flower in its perfect (and natural) setting, and then ushers her family to see it, thereby inaugurating a yearly tradition, in which her family looks for "Allah's perfect gift to the world" every Eid-al-Adha.

An engaging family and holiday story, The Perfect Gift is only the second children's title I have encountered that addresses the topic of Eid-al-Adha - the other one being Asma Mobin-Uddin's The Best Eid Ever - and I am happy to have discovered it, for that reason. It is also well worth seeking out, as a story that highlights the Muslim conception (well, one Muslim's idea of the Muslim conception, anyway) of nature as part of divine creation. The artwork by Craig Howarth (not listed on the cover, and misspelled on the title page) is not really to my taste, but also didn't put me off. My only real critique of the book is the flower in question: aren't the first flowers of the year usually crocuses, or other minor bulb plants? This flower didn't seem to belong in a wintry landscape (it is bright orange, and has petals as large as the palm of the hand), and for a book meant to promote appreciation of nature (among other things), that seemed an odd choice. Leaving that aside, The Perfect Gift is a book I would recommend to those looking for children's stories set at Eid - a category that is not yet very widespread.… (más)

Sarah is upset because she doesn't have an Eid gift for her mother. She goes on a walk in the woods and finds a beautiful flower. Instead of picking it, she puts a little fence around it and shows it to her family as a gift from Allah. Her family enjoys the beauty of the woods as Allah's gift every year. Like the previous Eid book I looked at....a while ago, this is one for families that are already celebrating this holiday, i.e. practicing Muslims. There's a brief glossary in the back of some Arab words, but if you aren't familiar with this holiday or the Muslim calendar the book is confusing. Recommended if you have a Muslim presence in your community… (más)