Maymoona’s Moon

In the lead-up to Eid, aspiring young astronaut Maymoona takes on the task of spotting the new moon that marks the holiday: “Leave the moon-sighting to me,” she shouts. The child “observes, gazes, and calculates,” and determines that she needs a high perch for the job. With the help of a “Cosmic Compass,” “Galactic Goggles,” and “Lunar Ladder”—and the encouragement of family and friends—she situates herself on a sturdy branch of the garden’s tallest tree, where, after waiting and watching, and even offering encouragement (“Please come out soon, moon”), she takes a picture of the thin crescent and kicks off the holiday’s celebrations. Omar Gutta’s ardent text and Haleem’s simple, limited-palette art delineate a variety of Eid practices (“Lanterns glow. Eid songs fill the air”) while sharing one child’s passion-fueled involvement in the holiday. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An endnote offers further context. Ages 3–8. (Feb.)