Almost Sunset: A Graphic Novel
Wahab Algarmi
HarperAlley: 2025
Paperback: New
9780063355668
In a contemporary middle grade graphic novel debut that Gene Luen Yang calls "funny, endearing, and an intimate look at a Muslim family," Almost Sunset follows a young Muslim American boy during Ramadan as he finds the balance between his family traditions and his secular middle school life. Perfect for fans of Swim Team and Chunky.
It's almost sunset, and Hassan has been dreaming about eating since the sun came up. The month of Ramadan has begun, and not eating until sundown intensifies his already busy days full of homework, soccer, and gaming. And since his teachers and friends at school barely understand Ramadan and its traditions, it's easier to just...not mention it.
As the month stretches on, Hassan's family and community grow closer together. They wake up before sunrise every morning, feast when the sun goes down, and attend mosque in the evenings. Can Hassan balance it all during the hectic holy month--faith, tradition, school, and fun, too?
Wahab Algarmi is a writer and comic artist. He has been creating comics and a community space for other artists in the San Francisco Bay Area for years. Some of his past comic work includes The Society of Unordinary Young Ladies, which has been well reviewed by numerous news outlets, including the Comics Beat, Newsarama, and USA Today. He was also a recent recipient of one the inaugural grants from the city of Oakland's Cultural Affairs Division, the Akonadi Foundation, and the East Bay Community Foundation for his comic work Town Force 1 and the Battle for East Oakland. For years, he also worked with another arts nonprofit, Kearny Street Workshop, to spotlight emerging Asian American artists. He currently lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and children.