A Little Halwa & A Big Family
by Farid Bazger
illustrated by Sahar Abdallah
Running the Goat & Broadsides, 2026
ISBN 9782998802302 (hc) $23.99, 40 pp, ages 4 – 8
runningthegoat.com
In this gentle Afghan story, Mama and Papa are craving halwa, but they don’t have enough flour, ghee, or sugar in the pantry to make the sweet treat for their many children. They decide—feeling a little guilty—to make a small amount just for themselves after the children are asleep. But little Malala overhears her parents talking and tells her older brother about the plan. He tells the next-oldest brother, who tells the older sister, who tells the next-oldest, and so on, until all the children are aware of the secret. When Mama begins to gather the ingredients after the children have gone to bed, she finds that nothing is where it should be. She asks Papa if he has moved the matches to light the stove, and Malala calls out, “Mom, the matches are here with me!” and runs out to give them to her. Her mama says, “My sweet girl, sit here quietly. I am making halwa and I will give you some.” You can guess what happens next—soon all the children have revealed that they have the necessary ingredients, and they are all sitting quietly, waiting as Mama cooks. But when the halwa is divided up into small portions for the children, there is not enough for Mama and Papa. The children see that their parents are going without, and the eldest quickly takes a little from everyone’s plate to give to Mama and Papa. “And they each settled down to eat their halwa.”
Classroom Connections: This story could be enjoyed in the classroom in many ways, including making predictions as a comprehension strategy, learning about Afghan culture from the text and detailed illustrations, comparing the plot sequence to other stories, and discussing the motivations of a loving family. A recipe for halwa and an author’s note about how people are addressed in Afghanistan and many South Asian cultures are included in the back matter.
Review by Diana Mumford.
This review is featured in Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Spring 2026 issue.
