Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow: Write That Story That Is Hard To Write
In this interview, author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow discusses writing toward hope with her new picture book, Ramadan Rain.
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, MSEd, is a former English teacher who has educated children and teens for 15 years. As an inaugural AMAL fellow with the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC), she developed foundational curricular frameworks for youth and adult anti-racist programming. Her picture books and short stories, which feature young Black and Muslim protagonists, have been recognized as the best in children’s literature by Time magazine, Read Across America, and NPR. These works include Salat in Secret, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year and a Golden Kite Award Honor recipient; Abdul's Story; Hold Them Close; Mommy's Khimar, Once Upon an Eid (anthology contributor), and Your Name Is a Song. Follow her on Instagram and Bluesky.
In this interview, Jamilah discusses writing toward hope with her new picture book, Ramadan Rain, how the writing process has been different throughout each of her manuscripts, and more.
Name: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Literary agent: Paige Terlip, Starling Literary & Media
Book title: Ramadan Rain
Publisher: Random House Studio
Release date: March 10, 2026
Genre/category: Picture book
Previous titles: Mommy’s Khimar, Your Name is a Song, Abdul’s Story, Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children, Grounded, Salat in Secret, Sister Friend, Together We Are Sunshine
Elevator pitch: Prayers are answered when it rains, and it’s going to take a lot of prayers for Haneen’s struggling family to celebrate their upcoming holiday. Join Haneen on a rainy Ramadan night as she prays for what her heart desires most.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’ve always been intrigued by the Islamic tradition of dua, or making supplication during rain. We believe times of rain are times of mercy and abundance from God, and so prayers made during those times will be answered. Particularly in the holy month or on holy days when we believe mercy has already increased, there’s a kind of childlike glee I’ve seen expressed by adults as they point out, “It’s raining! Say a dua!” It’s like blessings are falling from the sky. I wanted to capture that sentiment.
I also wanted to evoke the emotion of Ramadan: the contemplativeness and yearning. Fasting, along with the other spiritual activities of Ramadan, seems to quiet the world for me. I slow down and notice things. Sensations are different. Little things like everyday rain become profound. I wanted to recreate those feelings.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I struggled for months with this book. My task was to take some complex ideas—prayer traditions, poverty, gratitude—and make that all make sense in a story for little kids. Whenever I’m struggling with a WIP, I switch up writing methods and tools. I can’t tell you how many times I went from notebook, to computer, to scrapbooking, and back again, repeatedly trying to simplify it all and find coherence. At first, there was a little brother who was a foil to Haneen. However, the character felt clunky—he was too much of a goody-goody. I took him out, and other child characters now perform many of his actions in the book. There was a stage where this story felt depressing to me. It didn’t have the hope I wanted to evoke. I pictured the girl telling Momma to taste the rain at the end and then them putting their umbrellas down to do just that. That was the hope I was in search of, and so I wrote toward that ending.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Because this was submitted as the second book in a two-book deal, the submission process wasn’t especially involved or unexpected. The quick positive reception was a little surprising, though. This isn’t false modesty. The writing process of Ramadan Rain made me doubtful of its success. Having a dozen picture books now under contract, I have experienced a range of writing processes. Most of my picture books have been challenging to write, but I eventually found flow with them. One or two seemed to just fly out seamlessly onto the page. Those were rare, magical moments. And then I have had a few that were rough and bumpy to draft every step of the way. I struggled endlessly with those, and they never quite feel right to me. This book falls into that last category. I fought with this book, and I still look at it somewhat as a scrapbooked, beat-up manuscript that I had to patch together. With Ramadan Rain, I was telling myself to be happy if I got at least a “revise and resubmit” request. My editor’s quick and enthusiastic acceptance of it was an unexpected blessing. The starred advanced reviews, as we wait for publication, have also felt like wonderful surprises.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I found myself tearing up while writing the night prayer scene. I wrote, “The imam cries. Momma cries. Others cry too. Cry for each other, cry for needs and wants and wishes in this life and the next. A lullaby I fall asleep to.” This scene brought me back to Ramadans of my childhood. It’s always surprising when I’m no longer outside of my writing but in the scene, feeling all the feelings of a character I created.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they slow down and feel. Ramadan Rain isn’t a guidebook that will give readers every fact about the holy month. Instead, I hope it helps readers experience the emotions of this special time. I hope readers get to be a child, full of wishes, on a rainy Ramadan night.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write that story that is hard to write. Persist. Sometimes it’s worth the fight.
