Common Sense Media Review
By Jasmine Baten
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet graphic novel about juggling Ramadan, sports, friends.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
ALMOST SUNSET is a graphic novel about Hassan, a seventh grade Muslim boy who is on his third year of fasting for Ramadan. The catch? He doesn't want anyone to know. Hassan tries to balance fasting, time spent with family doing Ramadan-specific activities, doing his best in soccer so that the team can get to the finals, playing video games with his friends, and doing well in school. It's a lot, and soon Hassan finds out that it might be a little more than he can handle.
Is It Any Good?
Wahab Algarmi's vibrantly illustrated graphic novel is a fun and colorful peek into what it's like to be a Muslim kid. From ducking out of lunch to trying to keep up with sports while fasting, Almost Sunset shows young Muslim readers that they aren't alone and will have them gasping, "Same!" every other page. Relatable to all readers, Algarmi does a great job of showing just how easy it is for adults to lose track of how much is going on in a young person's life. Hassan's story stresses the importance of making sure kids feel secure and are in culturally sensitive environments where they can ask for help. With its relatable story and gorgeous drawings, Almost Sunset is a must-read for Muslim kids this Ramadan, and a fun, informative read for everyone else.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how overwhelmed Hassan gets during Ramadan in Almost Sunset. Have you ever had so many responsibilities that you got overwhelmed? What does Hassan do to get help? What do you do when you need support?
Hassan gets jealous that his friend (a girl) is doing better than him and he pushes her during soccer practice. What effect did Hassan's father's attitudes have on Hassan in this moment? What are some other ideas you've heard about girls in sports or other male-dominated fields? What do you think about those ideas?
Hassan tells a friend that it felt a lot easier to fast when he and his family were in Yemen. Why do you think it felt that way for him? What are other challenges that Muslim kids face in the United States that they don't face in other countries?
Talk about the ways perseverance is modeled in this story. What does Hassan learn about perseverance? Have you ever had to keep going through something that was challenging? What helped?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Wahab Algarmi
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Friendship , Holidays
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper Alley
- Publication date : February 18, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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