Barefoot Books Zahra's Blessing, Paperback

Zahra hugs her cherished teddy bear and prays that Ramadan will bring her a longed-for sister. When her bear subsequently goes missing, Zahra finds herself grappling with intense feelings of loss. Over the next few weeks, as she volunteers with her mother at a local shelter for asylum seekers, Zahra befriends a displaced child, resulting in a newfound sense of gratitude and an unexpected Ramadan blessing.

• SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Young readers will relate to Zahra's feelings of loss when she can't find her teddy bear, which serves as a bridge for empathizing with the relatively extreme loss experienced by the refugee child in the story.
• RAMADAN & ISLAM: Written by a Muslim author and illustrated by a Muslim artist, the story immerses readers in the rituals of Ramadan, while endnotes provide additional factual information about Ramadan, Islam and variations in Muslim traditions.
• ASYLUM SEEKERS & DISPLACEMENT: Provides a sensitive portrayal of displacement for children who are both familiar and unfamiliar with the concept. Endnotes explain more about asylum seekers, refugees, shelters and long-term foster care.