Nabeel's New Pants: An Eid Tale

As Ramadan comes to an end, shoemaker, Nabeel, closes his shop and heads off to buy some gifts for his family. He finds a burqa for his wife and a dupatta for his mother. Then he picks up some bangles for his daughter. Finally he buys a new pair of pants to wear himself, but unfortunately the pants are just four fingers too long and the tailor does not have time to hem them up. Nabeel visits each of his family members to share his gifts and he asks each one to help him to shorten his pants. One by one they tell him they have other tasks that are more important and finally, Nabeel himself cuts the extra material off the pants and gets ready for the celebration of Eid. The illustrations in the book are done with simple line and bright colors and they convey a feel of an Middle Eastern culture. The shoes with the curled up toes and the beards and caps take us across the ocean. Meanwhile, each of the family members, immersed in her own task, reflects on Nabeel and decides to help him. Just how much kindness will this pair of pants bear? It ends with love and laughter. For those unfamiliar with the celebration of Eid, the story may invite questions and new understanding of the ways of others. 32 pages Ages 5-8