A Ramadan Night

by Nadine Presley, Asma Enayeh (Illustrator)

Celebrate the beginning of Ramadan with a young boy and his father in this nighttime sensory picture book that celebrates the wonder, excitement, and peace of the holiday!

The call for prayer hugs tight the sky of Damascus on the first night of Ramadan. As steps flutter to fill spaces in mosques, Sami sets out on a nighttime walk with Baba to answer his what does a Ramadan night feel like?

Through an evening full of sounds and sights and scents, Sami feels the celebration of community. He feels the connection and calm of prayer. He feels the delight of a late-night dessert. He feels the joy of generosity.

He feels…a Ramadan night.

Genres: Picture Books, Holiday

40 pages, Hardcover

Published January 27, 2026

Reviews

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ramadan is coming, and that means new Ramadan books... and @nadinepresleyauthor 's release "A Ramadan Night" is the perfect way to kick off the Ramadan book series!!!!

I love love LOVE that this entire book is about the true essence of Ramadan, and not some generic crescent moon or first fast or cultural iftar story. The illustrations and the text alike are steeped in Islam, making it the perfect book to read to get kids excited for Ramadan!

This lyrical book with its gorgeous illustrations is absolutely lovely and I'm so happy to see the creativity involved.

4.75/5 🌟

#bookstagram #Muslimbookstagram #MyMuslimShelfSpace #diversereads #diversebooks bookreview

[Emma & Evelyn Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved this picture of what it looks like for a son to learn what Ramadan looks, sounds and feels like from his dad. As we were reading it, it felt like such a sweet book to reflect on during Ramadan. Our family doesn’t celebrate Ramadan, but I always try to be intentional about introducing my daughter to a variety of different cultures. If other parents are similar or celebrate Ramadan, I think this is a good introduction.

It is designed for children 4-8. My toddler is almost 4 and had some trouble staying focused while reading.

Thank you to Simon Kids for this book for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations!

[Kirin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 40 page picture book balances prose and lyrical language with touchpoints that young children will recognize and relate to.  Using the senses of sound, sight, and smell, a young boy, Sami, seeks to understand what his father means by his remark, that it "feels like a Ramadan night," as they head off for Taraweeh at the masjid.  The silliness of the little boy asking the moon, the sidewalk, the echoes, the carpet, and more personified inanimate objects, unearths a deeper more resonate layer of faith, community, and connection. The joy felt in Ramadan through acts of fasting all day, praying all night, giving charity, and being with others, is not easy to articulate. And this book not only takes you on a journey through Sami finding his answers, but with a little prodding, will urge Muslim children, and adults, to try and describe their own emotional attachment to the blessed month, while at the same time, also being a wonderful choice to share with non Muslims who often cannot understand that even children are genuinely excited for the worship in Ramadan, that is not yet required of them.  The bright engaging illustrations and the culminating universal climax of sweets, brings the occasionally overly flowery language back to a child's level and grounds it.  Sami finds his answer as the night unfolds moving the story along and with the unapologetic Islamic centering of the religious month, I can't wait for my physical preorder to arrive, so that I can share it with my community this Ramadan.  The book releases in a few days and I hope you too will preorder, or request from your library, to signal to the publisher that we want unapologetic Islamic representation, and will support the books that are well crafted, appealing, and Islam centered. 

Set in Syria, the book starts with Sami and his father sitting outside eating together, when Sami's father says that it "feels like a Ramadan night." Sami isn't so sure, but his father isn't about to offer a simple reply, and instead urges him as they head out the door to Taraweeh, to find his own answer.  So Sami asks the crescent moon, who tells him that, "Ramadan nights are lights." Sami isn't so sure, but but he sees the golden lanterns glittering, and faithful hearts shining and eyes twinkling as his foot steps make noise on the sidewalk. This has him ask the sidewalk next.  Where he is made aware of the eager steps, and celebrating streets full of hope. His own feet bring him closer to the masjid where echoes of laughter are heard.  The echoes, when asked, speak of peace, and so Sami's journey continues through salat, playing outside, and delighting in sweets, before returning to his "hug of a home" and knowing in his heart what a Ramadan night feels like to him.

The heartfelt warmth, contentment, and love of Ramadan radiates through the book's language and illustrations. The melding of story, with Islamic centering, and a little boys journey makes the book authentic and delightful, alhumdulillah. 

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/18/2026 3.5 stars rounded up. My Ramadan Nights have been very different from this kid's and that's okay! Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

2/19/2026 Salam Ramadan to all who celebrate! One thing I love about this month is how it highlights how different Muslim experiences are all over the world, with this book being a particularly fine example.

Based on Nadine Presley's childhood in Damascus, Syria, this charming picture book explores the sensory experience of the fasting month, as a young boy named Sami thinks about what Ramadan nights signify to him. From the meal after dusk on the patio, to the walk to the mosque and then home again, Sami focuses on the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of nights made special by community and faith.

Illustrator Asma Enayeh also grew up in Damascus. Her background underscores the authenticity of this book, as she lovingly depicts the cityscape Sami and his Baba travel on their walk to the masjid and back. The characters are diverse in form and action, and Sami's curiosity and openness are depicted vividly as he absorbs the world around him. It's a colorful, transporting way to experience Damascus during a Ramadan night. The gorgeous patternwork and calligraphy are only the icing on this metaphorical cake.

Having grown up in the USA and Malaysia, my Ramadan nights were (and still are!) different from Sami's in many ways. It's lovely that this book not only highlights the best of this faith-based experience but also showcases a beautiful city and its customs. A lot of people assume that Islam and Muslims are a monolith, when nothing could be further from the truth. Books like these help underscore the vibrancy of how Islam engages with different cultures, giving readers of all ages a look into both the relevance of shared knowledge and values (charity and literacy are both HUGE parts of our religion) and the importance of acknowledging and accepting the diversity of circumstance and appearance.

A Ramadan Night by Nadine Presley & Asma Enayeh was published January 27 2026 by Salaam Reads and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

[Susannah Aziz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Ramadan Night by Nadine Presley gives readers a sensory experience as Little Sami takes us on a walk through Damascus, Syria on a Ramadan night. He travels with his father, or "Baba" as readers explore the wonderful details on the page, brilliantly illustrated by Asma Enayeh. Baba encourages Sami to find the answer to the question he's been wondering about. What does a Ramadan night feel like? What makes it so special? Sami connects with so much happening around him...every step, every scent, every feeling, every sound! Does Sami find the answer to his question? He certainly does! Such a vibrant story...a very fun account of Ramadan nights, relatable to so many children around the world! I pray that Muslim children all around the world can experience a Ramadan night like Sami's Ramadan night!

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Ramadan Night by Nadine Presley is set in Damascus, Syria with a young boy, Sami, asking his father what it means to feel a Ramadan night. On their way to pray, Sami asks the moon, the street, the rug...etc, and as he starts the Taraweeh prayer he begins to feel it. The book touches on themes of family, community and faith while also teaching young readers about Ramadan. Illustrated by Asma Enayeh, each page is bright with artwork that envelopes you into the story.

Thank you Simon Kids for the gifted copy.

[Sara Fajardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful sensory meditation and exploration of what a Ramadan Night feels like. What I love about this book is that it puts us squarely in the main character Sami's point of view and allows us to live and discover Ramadan through his eyes. For those not as familiar with Ramadan this is such an impactful and accessible way of bringing to life this beautiful celebration, while those who celebrate will see reflected things that they love about the rituals of Ramadan. Lovely warm illustrations paired with lyrical text, a perfect book.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Simon Kids & Salaam Reads for my free copy. These opinions are my own:

This beautiful book shares scenes inspired by the author and the illustrator's respective childhood memories of a Ramadan night in Damascus. From braking the fast to praying among fellow faithful at the mosque, the words and colorful illustrations celebrate what it is to be Muslim during this holiday.

[Gayatri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisitely illustrated and heartwarming story!

The distinctly Syrian cultural touches as well ad the relatable humorous touches make this a noteworthy addition to the Ramadan story time bookshelf.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really poignant but still accessible depiction of Ramadan by a Syrian author and a Syrian illustrator. I enjoyed the focus on different senses and how the father encourages his son to find meaning and answers on his own.