S. K. Ali

Aisha Saeed

"Day of Joy is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it's waking up to the sound of frying samosas and simmering pistachio kheer, maybe it's the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it's the gift giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations"--

Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices

Once Upon an Eid

Lindsay

Sarah Sammis

Once Upon an Eid edited by S.K. Ali is an intersectional exploration and celebration of Eid. As the introduction explains, there are two Eids and when they occur shifts year to year due to the lunar calendar.

Besides being about the anticipation or the celebration of Eid, the stories are also glimpses into the vast diversity of Islam and the many different traditions that families follow.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...

this book was so fun but i wish the stories were just a 

 longer!! most (if not all) of them finished just as they begin their eid celebrations and i wish we got to see that as well.

this book was so fun but i wish the stories were just a tad longer!! most (if not all) of them finished just as they begin their eid celebrations and i wish we got to see that as well.

Claudia Sinclair.

OMG... This book has 15 different stories and all of them are very well-packed; each story is engaging, full of emotion and thought, humorous, warm, and soothing. For a few moments, I didn't even realise I was holding up a few stories non-stop!

Sarah Pino

I looooved this book. So so so wholesome and I got to know more about eid celebrations all over the world.

menna

this both made me cry and gave me the best feelings possible

dija

I have read this book in 2020 but i'm still thinking about it. It has the most accurate muslim representation i've ever read, the stories are so heartwarming, so sweet and it gives an insight on what Ramadan means to te muslim community and how families from different ethnicities celebrate it. I usually don't read middle grade books but i've gotten into them last year and i'm so glad i did! 
If you want to read a diverse book by authors of color i urge you to support and read this one! For you or your young sibling or your little one!

Now in paperback, a joyous short story collection by and about Muslims, edited by New York Times bestselling authors Aisha Saeed and S. K. Ali Eid! The short, single syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it's waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it's the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it's the gift giving and the holiday parties, or carnival rides to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. Contributors include G. Willow Wilson, Hena Khan, N. H. Senzai, Hanna Alkaf, Rukhsana Khan, Randa Abdel-Fattah, Ashley Franklin, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Candice Montgomery, Huda Al-Marashi, Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.

Stef

It's really heartwarming story that remain me of the joyful of Eid fitri 🥺🥺

Jantien 

Okay so I will be reading this book again with the girls during Ramadan every year Inshallah. ☪️❤️

Stephanie Ridiculous

I somehow missed that this was a kids book. 😂
Super cute book, tho. If you're looking for some light fluffy easy reading, this is a good choice. With cultural rep spanning the globe & entirely too many delicious foods described, the charm of this collection is a no brainer.

This was a very very comforting read - as someone who grew up in a predominantly Muslim country and celebrated Eid with countless of her classmates throughout the year, this book was a trip down the memory lane. It accurately captured the feeling of Eid I often feel and see reflected in my peers. Every story was just like the dishes you eat on Eid - made at home with lots of love, thought and effort behind it. It was the perfect amount of sweet and wholesome; exploring Eid in so many different situations - some of which broke my heart - but the essence of every story was that Eid is a time when communities come together to heal, celebrate and commemorate their faith. Thank you to all the authors who poured their heart and soul into all these stories and making me feel as if I was a part of all of them, observing a family up the street and smiling in their joy.

Merve A. 

i went into this expecting a collection of sweet stories, and they were very sweet, but some of them were truly heartbreaking. it was beautiful and made me excited for eid, which i will be experiencing alone for the first time in my life.

Flavia Louise

This was mostly just really cute and wholesome. :)
But definitely also talked about some more serious stuff.

myra

a lovely, wholesome and heartwarming collection of short stories that give you a chance to discover a culture (or relive memories).

Samirah Arif

I absolutely adored this! It was so cute! Once Upon an Eid is an anthology full of stories about Muslim kids on Eid, all around 11 or 12 (I think). I loved how diverse this was! We had Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, desi Muslims, black Muslims, Muslim reverts, and more! The writing style of each story was perfect! I wouldn't change anything. One of my favorite parts was the art pieces before each story!

Anna Wilson

Perfect 3 stars
Yusuf and the great big brownie mistake 5 stars 
Kareem means “generous” 5 stars 
Don’unt break tradition 4 stars 
Just Like Chest Armor 4 stars 
Gifts 3 stars
The Feast of Sacrifice 4 stars 
Searching for Blue 4 stars 
Creative Fixes 5 stars 
Taste 3 stars 
Eid pictures 3 stars
Not only an only 5 stars
Maya Madinah Chooses Joy 3 stars 
Eid and Pink Bubble Gum, Insha’Allah 4 stars


https://www.instagram.com/p/COlIGlBLv...

A joyous short story collection by and about Muslims, edited by New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed and Morris finalist S. K. Ali Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations. The full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina's Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy's Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.

Kath Lau

This was a brilliant short story collection that centers around young Muslim kids and Eid. We see different families and learn about their traditions or special ways to celebrate Eid. I listened to the audio edition but i’m definitely getting a physical copy because I’ve seen some of the illustrations online and they’re gorgeous. Some of the stories are heartbreaking and sad but I liked that they still have a positive and hopeful end.

Every story so incredible but the following stories stood out to me: “Kareem Means ‘ Generous’” by Asmaa Hussein, “Don’ut Break Tradition” by S.K. Ali, “Searching For Blue” by N. H. Senzai, and “Eid and Pink Bubble Gum, Insha’ Allah” by Randa Abdel-Fattah. The stories are precious, very informative, and just beautiful! Aside from mouth-watering food, this anthology is filled with joy and hope. I can’t recommend this enough!

Once Upon an Eid Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices

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