Amira’s Picture Day Review: Bringing Eid Joy Everywhere

 

"Amira did not need to be told to smile. She was already smiling." 

Amira's Picture Day by Reem Faruqi is a sweet and thoughtful story about balancing two important moments in a child’s life: celebrating Eid and attending picture day at school. 

The story follows Amira, who is excited to stay home and celebrate Eid. Just thinking about the holiday makes her feel warm and tingly. She looks forward to wearing new clothes, visiting the mosque, and handing out goody bags. But then she notices a flyer on the fridge and her excitement quickly turns into worry. Eid happens to fall on the same day as school picture day. 

Amira suddenly feels torn. If she skips school to celebrate Eid, she’ll miss the class photo. What if her classmates forget her? What will her teacher think? 

Even though the Eid celebration at the mosque is everything she hoped for, the thought of missing picture day keeps lingering in her mind. Luckily, a last-minute idea on the car ride home offers a simple but meaningful solution. 

What makes this book special is its gentle reminder that celebrating Eid doesn’t have to limit us. Through Amira’s experience, children can see that the joy of Eid can travel with us, whether we are at home, at school, or somewhere else. 

Reading Amira’s story reminded me of my own experience during my college years. One time, I had to go to campus after Eid prayer to take a test. Many people view Eid as a full holiday, a day to stay home, gather with family, enjoy delicious food, and celebrate together. But for me, Eid has always been more than that. It’s the sound of takbir on the night before Eid, the early morning preparations before going to the mosque, and most importantly, the Eid prayer itself, which only happens once a year. 

I noticed that many Muslim readers on Goodreads relate strongly to this story because they live in countries where Muslims are a minority and Eid isn’t always recognized. Interestingly, I come from a country with a large Muslim population and many people here still work the night before Eid or continue activities after Eid prayer. Not everyone loves that situation, but we still accept it because the spirit of Eid lives in our hearts. 

Just like Amira shows us, Eid joy can travel anywhere. 

So don’t make Eid your limitation, celebrate it wherever you are.