NABEEL'S NEW PANTS
An Eid Tale
by Fawzia Gilani-Williams and illustrated by Proiti Roy
Gentle, hardworking Nabeel prepares to celebrate Eid with gifts for his wife, mother and daughter, but he doesn’t realize when he also replaces his patched pants with a four-fingers-too-long pair that his family is too busy preparing for the celebration to cut and hem them. What Gilani-Williams tenderly describes and Roy renders in Indian ink and water-based gouache can be readily guessed, making for a simple, satisfying comedy of well-intentioned errors. Wrapped in this description of a loving Muslim family is the importance of graceful appreciation despite immediate irritation. The warm colors and language work well, depicting the family working cooperatively to prepare for the sacred moment, stitching back the cut sections until Nabeel’s new pants are both just long enough and ready in time for a walk to the mosque for the celebration after the last day of Ramadan. (glossary) (Picture book. 6-8)