I don’t think I saw The House Without Lights: A glowing celebration of joy, warmth, and home by Reem Faruqi and illustrated by Nadia Alam on my online reading site. If I had, I didn’t remember seeing and/or saving it. But one day I had an email that said, “Here is a book we are promoting and we hope you consider reading it.” I said, “Why not?” and I found an online copy.
That is not where this book journey ends though. I will be getting a copy or two and sending it to a few friends and even a library donation. Because, you see, I assumed I knew what the book was about. I thought it would be a poor family and/or person who couldn’t afford to put up lights or it would be that “old hermit” who is alone and needs a found family to help them decorate, but it is not that.
This book is about a house that, at first, is empty. It admires the other houses with its lights for Diwali, candles for Hanukkah and of course, Christmas decorations. One day a new family moves into the house and the house is ready for its winter decorations. But they never come. Even when extended family comes, the house smells like golden rice, you hear feet running, and beds creaking from jumping, but no lights and decorating. You see, they are a Muslim family. On Christmas the parents of the young girl who have moved in must work. This leads to a discussion on why they do this, and their own traditions that will happen later.
The illustrations are dreamy, but still solid and give the big picture. They are colorful, busy and even though they could be a bit distracting, that is the point. The details are there to fill the pages and represent a story of faith, family, traditions, celebrations and community. They help make this book have both a modern and classically presented feeling not only to the art, but the overall story. Great for all ages, it is currently available.