WAHAB ALGARMI at Books Inc. Alameda

Debut graphic novelist Wahab Algarmi shares ALMOST SUNSET with Thien Pham at Books Inc. Alameda.

Join us for a lively discussion between these two graphic artists and writers, and take a look at one boy’s during the month of Ramadan. ALMOST SUNSET is a heartfelt slice-of-life look at coming of age and finding one’s identity in a diverse community – perfect for readers of Swim Team or Chunky!

Writer and comic artist Wahab Algarmi delivers his contemporary middle grade graphic novel debut, following a young Muslim American boy during Ramadan as he finds the balance between his family traditions and his secular middle school life.

It's almost sunset, and Hassan has been dreaming about eating since the sun rose that morning. Hassan is facing a hectic month of homework, soccer, and gaming, all while fasting every day for the holy month of Ramadan. Not eating until sundown intensifies Hassan’s already busy days—his teachers and friends barely understand Ramadan and its traditions, and it’s especially tough keeping up with soccer practice, as the team hopes to win the championship this season.

At the same time, Ramadan brings Hassan’s family and community closer together: from waking up at sunrise every morning, to feasting and attending mosque in the evenings. As Ramadan stretches on, Hassan struggles to keep up his grades, and his friend Rosie is inching closer to taking his starting spot on the team. Because he's too busy to game with his friends during Ramadan, Rosie also fills in for him with his gaming squad.

Hassan wants to be able to do it all—get good grades, help his soccer team win, game with his friends, and participate in the religious and family traditions during Ramadan. But how can he do that if he's not sharing the truth with everyone, especially himself?

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.

Thien Pham is a graphic novelist and educator based in Oakland, CA. He is the author and illustrator of the graphic novel Sumo and the illustrator for the middle-grade graphic novel Level Up, written by Gene Luen Yang. His latest book Family Style, a memoir about his family's immigration to America told through the lens of food, came out in June 2023. Family Style has been on numerous best-of lists including the Washington Post’s “Top Ten Graphic Novels of 2023” and Publishers Weekly's “20 Books We Love.” Family Style was a finalist for the ALA YALSA Excellence in Non-Fiction and Won an Eisner award For best Memoir Graphic Novel. Currently, Pham is working on his next graphic novel, teaching, and eating. A lot. Follow Thien on Instagram at @thiendog

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