Lailah’s Lunchbox
Written by Reem Faruqi
Illustrated by Lea Lyon
Published by Tilbury House Publishers
Lailah is in a new school in a new country, thousands of miles from her old home, and missing her old friends. When Ramadan begins, she is excited that she is finally old enough to participate in the fasting but worried that her classmates won’t understand why she doesn’t join them in the lunchroom. Lailah solves her problem with help from the school librarian and her teacher and in doing so learns that she can make new friends who respect her beliefs. This gentle, moving story from first-time author Reem Faruqi comes to life in Lea Lyon’s vibrant illustrations. Lyon uses decorative arabesque borders on intermittent spreads to contrast the ordered patterns of Islamic observances with the unbounded rhythms of American school days.
Primary ISBN: 9780884484318
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 06 or older
Community Represented: Iranian/Iranian American, Kurdish/Kurdish American
Themes: Celebrations, Religious Background: Muslim, Welcoming by Individual
Setting: United States
Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: Immigrant
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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