The holy month of Ramadan kicks off this week.

Syrian Canadian author Nadine Presley has written an illustrated children’s book, “A Ramadan Night,” to showcase the holiday in Syria, where she grew up. 

“It’s set in Damascus… It’s a boy going on a walk with his father, and kind of just experiencing all the elements of a Ramadan night and taking it all in and engaging all of the senses,” she explains.

The book was illusrated by Asma Enayeh, who also grew up in Damascus, Syria.

Capturing a child’s perspective

Presley says she interviewed several young kids to find out their favorite part of Ramadan, finding out that they enjoyed the night strolls, staying up late and having sweet treats. Along with her own experiences in Syria, she wanted to capture the element of Ramadan from a child’s point of view.

“There are so many different aspects and elements to the month that make it so alive for us. So I really wanted to kind of engage all of the senses in bringing it to life and really passing along that emotion of what Ramadan night feels like,” she says.

Sharing the holiday in new places

Presley says Ramadan is different in the West. As a mom of three, she’s busy creating a a space in her home to celebrate. She also has a large Muslim community to share the holiday with.

However, it’s different from her childhood experiences.

“When I was, when you’re in Syria, and like, the Adhan goes off… the whole neighborhood, like comes alive… but we are very fortunate here in Canada to have a really good, really big Muslim community,” she shares.

Learning through feeling

The book’s main character interacts with objects to share his emotions, as he attempts to navigate “what Ramadan feels like.” 

“One of my big intentions when writing is that any child or adult that’s going to read the book, that they’re going to feel close to the main character. They’re going to feel inside the story, not at a distance,” she explains.

She says its a way for all kids to learn more about the holiday.

Presley says it was also important to share positive stories of Muslims, especially with male characters. 

Presley’s book, “A Ramadan Night,” was released last month.