ما المانع ؟

Every night during the month of Ramadan, it’s the responsibility of Samia’s father to wake up the villagers so that they can eat before dawn. But one night he is too ill to go out and, with some reluctance, he gives way to Samia’s entreaties to take his place. Picking up his lantern, she walks around the village beating his drum and calling to each sleeper to get up. The villagers are surprised to see her, but after hearing her story, they invite their children to join in with their own musical instruments and bit by bit the band gets bigger and more tuneful. The illustrations capture the party atmosphere of this joyful group of children in a pretty Palestinian village.