It's the first day of Ramadan, and George is celebrating with his friend Kareem and his family.
George helps Kareem with his first fast and joins in the evening celebration of tasting treats and enjoying a special meal. Then George helps make gift baskets to donate to the needy, and watches for the crescent moon with the man in the yellow hat. Finally George joins in the Eid festivities to mark the end of his very first Ramadan.
This playful book makes a great holiday gift for all fans of Curious George—those who celebrate Ramadan, and those who are learning about it for the first time.
Hans Augusto Rey was born on September 16, 1898, in Hamburg, Germany. He grew up there near the world-famous Hagenbeck Zoo, and developed a lifelong love for animals and drawing. Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein (who would be known to most of the world as Margret Rey) was also born in Hamburg on May 16, 1906. The two met briefly when Margret was a young girl, before she left Hamburg to study art. They were reunited in 1935 in Rio de Janeiro, where Hans was selling bathtubs as part of a family business and Margret was escaping the political climate in Germany. Margret convinced Hans to leave the family business, and soon they were working together on a variety of projects.
Hans and Margret were married in Brazil on August 16, 1935, and they moved to Paris after falling in love with the city during their European honeymoon. It was there that Hans published his first children’s book, after a French publisher saw his newspaper cartoons of a giraffe and asked him to expand upon them. Raffy and the Nine Monkeys (Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys in the British and American editions) was the result, and it marked the debut of a mischievous monkey named Curious George.
After Raffy and the Nine Monkeys was published, the Reys decided that Curious George deserved a book of his own, so they began work on a manuscript that featured the lovable and exceedingly curious little monkey. But the late 1930s and early ’40s were a tumultuous time in Europe, and before the new manuscript could be published, the Reys—both German Jews—found themselves in a horrible situation. Hitler and his Nazi party were tearing through Europe, and they were poised to take control of Paris.
Knowing that they must escape before the Nazis took power, Hans cobbled together two bicycles out of spare parts. Early in the morning of June 14, 1940, the Reys set off on their bicycles. They brought very little with them on their predawn flight — only warm coats, a bit of food, and five manuscripts, one of which was Curious George. The Nazis entered Paris just hours later, but the Reys were already on their way out. They rode their makeshift bicycles for four long days until reaching the French-Spanish border, where they sold them for train fare to Lisbon. From there they made their way to Brazil and on to New York City, beginning a whole new life as children’s book authors.
Curious George was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, and for sixty years these books have been capturing the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. All the Curious George books, including the seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. So popular that his original story has never been out of print, George has become one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children’s literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.
Although both of the Reys have passed away — Hans in 1977 and Margret in 1996—George lives on in the Curious George Foundation. Established in 1989, this foundation funds programs for children that share Curious George’s irresistible qualities—ingenuity, opportunity, determination, and curiosity in learning and exploring. Much consideration is given to programs that benefit animals, through preservation as well as the prevention of cruelty to animals. The foundation supports community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family, from counseling to peer support groups.
I saw this and had to read it cause Curious George was a favourite of mine when I was a kid. I love my little monkey so much. This was such a cute children’s book. George taking all the shoes at the mosque made me cry inside. So precious.
كتاب 📘 #It's_Ramadan_Curious_George تأليف 📝 # Henna_Khan رسوم 🎨 #Mary_O’Keefe_Youn . . كتاب في منتهى العذوبة والجمال ... القرد الصغير المحبوب جورج (همم ليس قردا حقيقة فليس له ذيل! 😅) وصاحبه الإنسان المسئول عنه سيقضيان شهر رمضان مع الصديق كريم وأسرته ... كريم قد قرر الصيام ... يعلم جورج أن هذا يعني الامتناع عن الطعام والشراب من شروق الشمس لغروبها فهل سيستطيع كريم؟ حسنا جورج يفكر أنه موجود لمساعدة صديقه 😍 وبالفعل يذكر جورج كريما بصيامه كلما نسي كريم وكاد ان يأكل أو يشرب ... لو كان صديقا لأبنائي في أول محاولاتهم للصيام لكانوا طردوه😅😆 ... يحضر جورج مع كريم وليمة الإفطار مع الأهل ... يقوم بأعمال الخير في المسجد ويساعد في تجهيز كراتين الطعام ... يرى هلال شهر شوال مع كريم ويتلقى هدية كريم المتمثلة في ملابس جديدة للعيد ... ويلعب مع الأهل يوم العيد . . كان ابني في منتهى السعادة بالكتاب ... هو ليس عالما بجورج والكارتون الشهير ولكنه أحب الفكرة عموما ... أخواه كانا يحبان الكارتون هذا في صغرهما . . لطالما رآنا الصغير ساهرين حتى السحور فكان هذا هو العام الأول الذي ننام قبل السحور وقد شاهد هذا أولا في الكتاب . . الكتاب رائع إلا أنه استخدم كلمة كسر الصيام بدلا من الإفطار break fast instead of iftar ولكن العيد جاء بلفظه . . كتاب مبهج وجميل يصلح لسن +٣ . . #اقرأ_مع_يسرا #اقرأ_لطفلك #اقرأ_مع_طفلك #قصص_أطفال #كتب_أطفال #أدب_الطفل #قصص_أطفال_بالإنجليزية
We liked this book. Now that I have a preschooler, it seems smart to introduce other cultures to kids through their favourite characters such as this curious monkey. However, this book does not have a story or even some simple dialogues or conversations. It is basically an explanation of Ramadan rituals. We liked the illustrations as well.
It was nice to see a beloved character celebrating our holiday. The illustration of the man in the yellow fez was especially memorable because his hat is so iconic. I like that they celebrated Eid at the end of the book, and I'd like to see a separate book, "EID MUBARAK, CURIOUS GEORGE!' I did not like the rhyming it took away from the sentimental and epic tone of the book.
George learns about the holy month of Ramadan while visiting his friend Kareem... who happens to fast for the first time! Thanks George for your curiosity ❤️ such a good friend he is!
I have been wanting to read this for four years, and I finally did, and it was so cute! George helping Kareem fast, and then wearing his little sherwani vest on Eid, and everything in between. 10/10 too sweet.
Board Book Curious George helps his friend Kareem celebrate Ramadan. Kareem will be fasting for the first time and George helps him keep busy and take his mind off being hungry. Well done with a blend of informative text and storyline.
Random thought : Charles Schultz, the creator of Peanuts was a very forward-thinking (and I don't mean progressively political or "woke"), but someone who was ahead of his time. During segregation, he created an African-American character, Franklin. Rey's book is uncharacteristically verbose and, rather dull. Schultz would have nailed it.
"Later when it's lunchtime, Kareem reaches for a piece of bread. Wait! No food until sundown. George keeps him busy instead."
In this Curious George book, George spends Ramadan with his Muslim friend and his family. We have the board book version of this book and it has tabs on the side for each 'chapter'. All of it is in smooth, flowing rhyme (yay!). It tells the story of George helping make treats for Ramadan, distracting his friend from the hunger of his first fast, eating iftar, helping in a clothes drive at the mosque and going to the mosque on Eid.
The story itself is really cute. I love how the author weaved in Curious George related things like chocolate dipped bananas for iftar, causing mischief in the mosque and a yellow fez for the man on Eid. I also love that George helps Kareem with his fasting by distracting him from food and pulling him away from the kitchen. I also like that 'they gather to do a good deed' at the mosque with a clothes drive. That atmosphere of genorisity in Ramadan is so strong and it's nice that it's depicted here. And the fact that the imam laughs at George's mischief is super cute.
There is very little to no mention of the spirituality behind Ramadan. Other than the vague 'peaceful sounds of prayer' at sunset, there is no real explaination that this is a time of worship and of getting close to Allah. I don't mind this, though, as this is just a Ramadan story rather than a non-fiction book explaining what Ramadan is. The pictures portray some Muslim women in hijab, some men with beards and happy looking children having fun. All nice images for a Muslim child (and non-Muslim) to see.
My only dislike regarding the content is the 'spread on the table' for iftar and all of the sweets made in preparation for Ramadan. Although it's a reality that the month ends up being so much about food in Muslim homes across the world, I don't like that it implies this is a part of Ramadan itself. Especially since the true meaning of Ramadan isn't discussed either.
With the amount of text in this book, I recommend it for 3 years+ but it's nice to have for a younger child since they can flip through and look through the pictures. We've had this since my daughter was a newborn so I used to read her one verse per 2 page spread and then turn the page because she didn't have the patience for more than that. It was worth getting it early just for that. A really nicely written and fun Ramadan story!
It's Ramadan, Curious George is a fresh take on the Curious George series used to explain some of the practices of the Muslim faith. Through this classic series younger audiences are allowed a view into other cultures, and those who already practice the faith may see due representation in children's literature. With the signature art style of the series this is a welcome addition to the Curious George collection.
Our library had a display of Ramadan children's books so L grabbed this one because it's Curious George and it's purple, two things she likes. I hadn't planned to steer her toward the Ramadan books but was glad she picked one because I always like the opportunity to give the children a taste of different religions and cultures and get to learn something myself. I know almost nothing about Ramadan so I can't speak to whether or not this book is an accurate introduction to it or covers enough of its aspects, but it seemed to be a good introduction for a child L's age. George joins a friend who is fasting for the first time so we learned about fasting, the big meal to break the fast, and the charitable giving that takes place during Ramadan. George didn't get into much mischief other than accidentally trying to give away shoes at the mosque, but in that sense this book is similar to the Curious George Halloween book we have. That one has the same tabbed pages, and both present facts about the holiday written in poems (although I prefer the poems in the Halloween book because each page has a different style; in this book all of the poems took the same form and the rhythm wasn't always just right). I'm glad to have this book as an introduction to the holy month.
A good book for all the Curious George fans, as George helps his friend Kareem with his first fast. It is informational book along with a good story about helping a friend. It has age appropriate language and provides children information about fasting, while keeping it interesting with the familiar character Curious George. Many children will learn new things about a different culture and traditions while reading this book. I always enjoy books by Hena Khan, so I was happy to see her contribution to the Curious George series. It was a simple read, so young kids will enjoy learning about Ramadan. Children from other faith will learn all the traditions related to Ramadan alongside their friend Curious George. I appreciated the simplicity of the book, as all the illustrations really help readers understand the customs that are described in the text. I hope the book encourages young kids to help other, just like Curious George helped his friend Kareem.
"It's Ramadan, Curious George" is a children's book about how Curious George is helping his friend Kareem prepare for Ramadan. The boys go through Ramadan procedures such as preparing the food, donating to others, and giving gifts. George is suprisingly not as silly as he has been in his other books. This book would be good for teacher younger elementary grades because it does not go into depth about the meaning of Ramadan, it just gives the reader some ideas about what people do to prepare for the holiday. This is a thick cardboard book with multiple tabs for easy flipping. I would connect this book with an informational text on the same topic so that my students could see the difference between fiction and nonfiction, with regards to Ramadan. I could use this as a mentor text to teach sequencing in writing as well.
This is an adorable fiction book. It incorporates a popular children's character and information about an Islamic holiday. Curious George gets to experience celebrating Ramadan with his friend Karim, a Muslim boy. The human characters are realistic, George is a cartoon character but he does not talk as a human would. A problem and solution are not applicable to this genre. The illustrations include colorful images of accurate food, clothing, and events one would see in the midst of Ramadan. They're very descriptive pictures and you can even see the detail in the Eid cookies. The Iftar attendees are of many colors and cultures. The illustrator does not belong to the group being represented which makes it pretty awesome that she was able to accurately depict the characters and scenes. Overall this book was an informative, fun, children's book that is an enjoyable read for all ages.
George is learning about Ramadan while he shares the holiday with his friend Kareem. George helps decorate and make some of the treats, he encourages and supports Kareen through his day of fasting, and he celebrates with his friends at a big nighttime dinner. Then, he does service at the mosque, and gets a gift to help celebrate the Eid festival. George’s first Ramadan is a success.
This is a great book for learning about Ramadan. The sides are tabbed so that the child can select which tradition he wants to read about. George is well behaved and only causes one tiny bit of trouble. A nice introduction to an important holiday.
I read Curious George as a kid and that silly monkey was always getting into some kind of trouble. I was happy to see that it is still the same Monkey and man in yellow as my childhood in this book. Now George is learning about Ramadan and the Islamic faith in this book. Which is great for the reader who can either learn about a religious holiday they might not otherwise know about. Or for other readers to see George partake in an event they might celebrate and encourage George’s friend Kareem to stay true to his fasting just like the reader might experience. Then at the end there is the big Eid celebration along with the food drives and giving to the less fortunate. Overall, I think this is a great book that helps share Muslim culture with the reader.
Written by Hena Khan (of "Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns" fame), "It's Ramadan, Curious George" is a simple introduction to Ramadan and Eid for the young ones in your life. I ordered a copy of this for myself, and two copies for friends. I am going to request that my library order a copy, too. This book goes a long way in making Muslims feel included by using a well-known character like Curious George in conjunction with Ramadan. If you are looking for a book that has more detail about Ramadan for slightly older kids, I suggest "Ramadan" by Susan Douglass.
One word: finally! This is a lovely story for children about the Islamic holy month Ramadan, featuring the beloved character Curious George. The story chronicles the events of Ramadan through the friendship of George and his friend Kareem. Written in narrative poem, follow George and Kareem as they learn to fast, have patience, give charity, decorate, and celebrate Eid. Thank you, Hena Khan!
There is little doubt that Curious George is a household favorite for most kids! In this book, Curious George celebrates Ramadan with his friend, Kareem. This book explains the key concepts around Ramadan - fasting, charity and finally feasting, in child-friendly rhyme. A must have for those who observe Ramadan, and others who would like to learn about Ramadan too!
A fun board book to explain Ramadan to children. Curious George has a friend named Kareem who will be fasting during the day. Curious George does not fast himself, but he helps his friend Kareem throughout the day, and he joins in with the fun after the sun goes down. This book does a good job explaining the fasting, the breaking of the fast, and sharing with others. It helps explain another faith, in this book the tradition of Ramadan, in a children-like manner.
This was a cute little book teaching young readers about Ramadan through rhyme, featuring the beloved Curious George. I enjoyed the shape of the book, with the colorful tabs to help the children turn the pages. I'm not sure the book was really meant for one-to-two-year-olds (that was the age group of the classroom I was in, and the boy I read it to seemed a little impatient with the amount of words), but I enjoyed it myself and can definitely see the value in it. 4/5 stars.
I will say the book is average. It is a story about monkey George visiting his Muslim friend observing Ramadan and joining the Eid festival. The quality of drawings and words selections are amazing. The missing link is the spirit of fasting for a whole month. Deeper meanings of self discipline and spiritual cleansing were not touched. But it is still a nice book to read with my kids every Ramadan.
This book served as a mirror for me since it is about the Muslim holiday Ramadan. Curious George and Kareem are sharing the first Ramadan holiday together. The book goes through Kareem's family celebrating and what exactly they do for celebrations. I liked this book because not only was it Kareem and George's first experience with Ramadan, but mine too! I felt like I was getting to experience Ramadan with them.
In this cardboard book, Curious George spends time with his friend Kareem's family. Kareem even fasts for a day and George helps Kareem keep his mind off of food, even when Kareem's stomach is growling. There are tabs at the right edge of each page to help young children find the page they want to read. George does not get into his usual trouble in this book.