HIT: Arab-Arab American Bibliography
The collective response of LM NET has helped me spot two fine URLs and the
following list of titles.
http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu/publish/multicultural/Connections_Home.html
http://w2.amideast.org/pubs_one/default.asp
Multicultural Books from AmidEast site listed above:
ARAB CULTURE:
* Count Your Way Through the Arab World by Haskins & Gustafson.
From series of counting books based on other cultures. Recommended for K - 4
* Children of Mauritania : Days in the Desert and by the River Shore
(Goodsmith)
56 pages, 1993
" Out in the desert, in a valley beyond the palm groves, there is a white
tent. Fatimatou lives there, with her mother, father, sister, and brothers.
Far to the south, where the river runs, is the vilage where Hamadi and his
family live. Fatimatou and Hamadi are children of Mauritania, a land where
the Sahara Desert meets the fertile soil of the savannah. Across these
contrasting zones, Arab and African cultures interact. The text and
full-color photographs introduce readers to Mauritania as seen through the
eyes of two of its children "
The below two books are examples from a series. (Series title: Festivals of
the World, listed by country name. Copyright 1998 so they are fairly
current.) Other countries covered include: South Africa, Ukraine, Peru,
Chile, Ireland, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, Spain, USA (over thirty
countries are covered).
* Festivals of the World - Turkey by Maria O-Shea
"Describes how the culture of Turkey is reflected in its many festivals,
including Seker Bayrami, Kurban Bayrami, and the Kirkpinar wrestling
competition." Recommended ages 6-9
* Festivals of the World - Saudi Arabia by Maria O-Shea
"Describes how the culture of Saudi Arabia is reflected in its many
festivals, including Eid al-Fit, Eid al-Adha, and the Jinadriyah National
Festival."
" Written by an Egyptian, this reference includes numerous photographs and
illustrations and explains the major festivals celebrated in Egypt today.
Learn how Muslims celebrate Ramadan, how Coptic Christians celebrate
Christmas, and how all Egyptians celebrate Sham el-Nessim, a springtime
festival that began in pharaonic times. Simple recipes enable children to
participate in festival preparation! " Recommended ages 6-9
* Children of Morocco by Jules Hermes
" What better way to introduce young Americans to world peoples and cultures
than through the lives of other children? Photographs portray a diversity of
traditional life-styles, complemented by stories about the children seen
throughout the book. Teachers will want to point out that in Morocco, the
life-styles of many urban children may be closer to U.S. life-styles than to
those of their own rural compatriots. " Recommended Grades 2-6
RELIGIONS:
Places of Worship series available. Other religions include Christian,
Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh
* Muslim Mosque by Angela Wood (1998)
" Gr 1-4-These appealing books use large print, clear photos, and colorful
borders of religious symbols to attract young readers. Unfortunately,
although the material is interesting, it is extremely condensed. "
See excerpt from the review below before deciding on this title:
* And The Earth Trembled : The Creation Of Adam And Eve / Shulamith Levey
Oppenheim
<http://troi.richland.lib.sc.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=104878J2D9701.17983&;
profile=int&uri=search=TL@!And%20the%20earth%20trembled%20:%20the%20creation
%20of%20Adam%20and%20Eve%20/&term=And%20the%20earth%20trembled%20:%20the%20c
reation%20of%20Adam%20and%20>
" Gr 3-6--In this retelling based on Islamic tradition, God's loneliness is
the impetus for the creation of humans. The Creator meets resistance first
from the angels, who point out that a mind concealed in flesh will be "prey
to ugly desires" and capable of greed, jealousy, hatred, and destruction. …
The Islamic prohibition against images of the divine has not been honored by
the illustrator, who depicts God as a bearded nude sitting in the clouds. In
other respects, Waldman's pointillist style, recalling the Impressionists,
is well suited to his subject. The pages are brightly colored, the image of
Iblis is appropriately scary, and Paradise is a vision of order in green and
blue. "
LITERATURE:
* Sitti's Secrets Author:Naomi Shihab Nye
" A young American girl meets her Palestinian grandmother face to face, and
the two forge a bond that sustains them from their opposite sides of the
world. Wonderful collages-at once ethereal and solid, exotic and
familiar-deftly serve the poetic text. "
Recommended K-Gr 3
Recommended Grades 2-6
* Sitti and the Cats by Sally Bahous and Nancy Malik
" In this delightful Palestinian fairy tale, a family of talking cats helps
a poor old woman enable her selfish neighbor to understand the value of
kindness. Throughout, insets explain the language, culture, and geography of
old Palestine, and vibrant color illustrations add wit and magic."
Recommended Grades 1-4
* The Golden Sandal : a Middle Eastern Cinderella / by Rebecca Hickox
" Adapted from "The Little Red Fish and the Clog of Gold," an Iraqi folktale
similar to the story of Cinderella, "The Golden Sandal" tells the tale of
Maha and her stepmother, and how everything changes after Maha spares the
life of a magical red fish. This version of a familiar tale can be used
effectively to introduce cultural similarities and differences. Beautifully
illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. " Recommended K - Gr 3
* Folk tales & fables of the Middle East and Africa / Robert Ingpen &
Barbara Hayes. " This fascinating selection of folktales has been collected
from as far as Babylon of 4,000 years ago, Nigeria, Arabia, and southern
Africa. "
Contents: Gilgamesh the King -- David and Goliath -- Aladdin and the
wonderful lamp -- Joseph who dreamed the truth -- The battles of Horus --
The cunning monkey -- The story of Untombinde -- The horns of plenty -- The
proud princess -- Tricky Mr Rabbit -- The cunning man.
* Ali, child of the desert / by Jonathan London ; illustrated by Ted Lewin.
" Ali is proud to accompany his father on the yearly trek to market across
the Sahara by camel, proving that he is ready to be a man. When a sudden
sandstorm separates them, the boy finds shelter and solace with Abdul, an
old Berber goatherd, and his grandson. … book's multiple themes of
resourcefulness, bravery, and finding friendship with those different from
oneself are briskly explored, and neatly and satisfyingly resolved. Lewin's
detailed watercolors capture the dazzling, ever-changing colors of wide
swaths of the Moroccan landscape, placing readers in each scene with
startling immediacy. A visual feast."
Recommended for K-Gr 3
GRADES 4-5 READERS:
* Shadow spinner by Fletcher, Susan
Excerpt of review: " --Marjan, a young storyteller in ancient Persia,
inadvertently takes a new story to Shahrazad. The Queen has been
entertaining her husband for nearly 1000 nights and she's growing desperate.
The Sultan loves the tale, which he vaguely remembers from his childhood,
but requests the ending. Shahrazad makes the girl a part of the harem in
order to get it, but learns that she has told all that she knows. ... There
are no weak spots in the telling of this tale. … After much tension and
adventure, there are believable, happy endings all around. An elegantly
written novel that will delight and entertain even as it teaches, just as
any good tale does. "
Recommended for Gr 5-9
* Beduins Gazelle by Frances Temple
" The year is 1302 and Halima, the gazelle of the title, is betrothed to her
cousin Atiyah. The young people look forward to the wedding, but their
happiness is postponed. Saladeen, a powerful kinsman, sends Atiyah to Fez.
He insists the young man must study the Koran, purportedly in order to unite
warring factions in the tribe, but actually to strengthen his own position
with the Caliph. … There are fascinating glimpses of everyday life here:
Beduin women gathering camel hair for rugs, university students arguing in
the classroom, men bursting forth into poetry as they come together for
horse trading and camel racing. While telling this romantic tale, Temple
also touches upon conflicts within the larger society, e.g., the Beduin way
of life versus that of the educated urban mullahs, and the struggle between
Islam and Christianity. …."
Recommended for Gr 5-8
HISTORY:
* From Gibraltar to the Ganges : adapted from To the ends of the earth by
Irene M. Franck and David M. Brownstone. A historical survey of the
Mediterranean-Black Sea Routes, the Great Desert Route, the Persian Royal
Road, and the Indian Grand Road. "
Ansary, Mir Tamim. West of Kabul, east of New York : an Afghan American
story .New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, c2002. Ansary, son of an Afghan
father and American mother, describes his life in Afghanistan where he was
born in 1948, and in America where he has lived since the age of sixteen,
and discusses the impact of an E-mail he sent to friends on Sept. 12, 2001
to express his feelings about the Taliban, which gained worldwide attention.
Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye.
The Storytellers - Ted Lewin - Morocco
The Day of Ahmed's Secret - Florence Parry Heide - A universal story about a
young boy who has learned to write his name, set in Egypt.
Two Travelers - Christopher Manson - Charlemagne's delegation to Baghdad
Shah, Idries. The Boy without a name. Boston, : Hoopoe Books,2000. This
is a Sufi teaching story from the Middle East. Other Titles by Idries Shah,
including: The Silly Chicken; The Clever Boy and the Terrible Dangerous
Animal; The Magic Horse;
Oasis of peace = Neve Shalom = Wahat al-Salam. Scholastic Inc: N.Y, 1993.
Presents the lives of two boys, one Jewish and one Arab, who live in a
unique community near Jerusalem.
Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah Da Costa
Alrawi, Karim. The Girl Who Lost Her Smile. 1st Ed. Winslow Pr, 2000.
Ben-'Ezer, Ehud, 1936-. Hosni the dreamer : an Arabian tale. 1st ed. New
York : Farrar Straus Giroux, 1997. Hosni, a shepherd living in the desert,
finally realizes his dream of traveling to the city where he spends his gold
dinar in away which changes his life forever.
Shepard, Aaron. Forty fortunes; : a tale of Iran. Clarion Bks, [c1999]. A
well-intentioned fortune-telling peasant unwittingly tricks a band of local
thieves into returning the king's stolen treasure.
Heide, Florence Parry//Gilliland, Judith Heide (1999). The house of wisdom.
New York: DK Publishing, Inc..
Lewin, Ted (1998). The storytellers. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard
Books.
Matze, Claire Sidhom (1999). The stars in my geddoh's sky. Morton Grove, IL:
Albert Whitman & Company.
And 2 Book Links Articles
Voicing a Concern
A list of books about the Middle East, the Arab World, and Islam.
01/1992
and
The Arab World and Arab Americans
Books about contemporary life in the Middle East, as as traditional
folktales well
11/1999
Active URL:
http://staging.ala.org/Content/ContentGroups/Book_Links1/Arab_World.htm
<http://staging.ala.org/Content/ContentGroups/Book_Links1/Arab_World.htm>
Lisette Cauble
Assignment 5
I decided choose a group of peoples that I wanted to know more about,
and chose to look for materials dealing with Muslims. With the influx of
more and more Muslim students into our schools and with the growing problems
in the Mid-East, I felt this would be a very topical group to look for books
on. I found that materials were not all that easy to find, especially with
the restriction that the materials needed to be contemporary! I eventually
did round up enough resources and have learned quite a lot while reading
them.
Picture books:
Matthews, Mary, and Illus. by Lewis, E.B.. Magid Fasts for Ramadan. New
York: Clarion Books, 1996.
Magid is eight years old and wants to fast for Ramadan like his
parents, grandfather, and twelve-year-old sister. Mama and Baba (papa) feel
he is too young, so Magid decides to fast secretly and hide the fact that he
isn’t eating. Aisha, his sister, finds him feeding his lunch to the geese
and tells Mama. Mama and Baba are upset that Magid was dishonest, but are
proud of his effort. Giddu (grandfather) suggests Magid start out fasting
until lunch, something easier for an eight year old boy. Magid is happy that
he will be able to participate in at least a small way.
The book is written from the perspective of Magid, which will
give more credence to the story for children, who will also understand how
hard it was for Magid to fast for several days before he was found out. The
book can spark discussion on the requirements of Ramadan, why children are
not expected to fast, and how the month is observed. A good book for
broadening the understanding of a culture and religion.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3,
2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Husain, Sharukh. What Do We Know About Islam?. New York: Peter Bedrick
Books, 1996.
To be Muslim, you must believe that Allah is the only God and the
Prophet Muhammad is his messenger. Muslim means “someone who surrenders to
God.” In this non-fiction book, the beginnings of Islam are covered as well
as how it is practiced today. Information is given on the basic beliefs of
Islam, the celebration and fasting of Ramadan, rules on forbidden and
acceptable foods, the hajj to Mecca, and how Islam is followed in different
countries. Current photographs realistically illustrate the book.
This book could be used in a class to illustrate details of
Islam. It is high intermediate or middle school/high school reading level.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3,
2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Heide, Florence Parry, and Gilliland, Judith Heide. The Day of Ahmed's
Secret. New York: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Books, 1990.
Ahmed, a young Egyptian boy, makes his way through his work day,
carrying butane bottles on a cart and delivering them in Cairo, all the
while thinking of the wonderful secret he has to tell his family. Going
through his day we learn about the sounds and activities of the working
people of Cairo. That night he finally is able to share his secret--he can
write is name! He writes it over and over for his family to admire.
This book describes a different way of life than most of the
children in our schools face, working and carrying heavy butane bottles. We
get a glimpse of a less priviledged life as well as descriptions of the
sights and sounds of his city. Although the book does not touch on Islam, it
still reveals insights of a culture to us. The illustrations are realistic
and add quite a bit to the story. I read this to Kindergarten and 1st
graders who still remember the wonder of learning to write their names!
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3,
2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Chalfonte, Jessica. I am Muslim. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 1996
Ahmet is a young Muslim boy in Detroit. Ahmet explains the basic beliefs and
rules of Islam, including the Five Pillars of the faith: the recitation of
the Shahada (confession of faith), washing and praying correctly, the hajj
to Mecca, observance of Ramadan, and Zakat, or charity to the less
fortunate.
The book is illustrated with color photographs. This is a simple book with
explanation and pronunciation of vocabulary words as a help. This would be a
very simple book to use with primary students.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History;
1.3, 2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Khan, Rukhsana, and Illus. By Himler, Ronald. The Roses in my Carpets. New
York: Holiday House, 1998.
A young Afgan boy lives in a refugee camp with his mother and sister.
At night he fights nightmares of jets screaming overhead, seeking him out.
During the day he and his family subsist on mostly bread and water. He goes
to school in the morning and in the afternoon he is able to learn the trade
of weaving carpets, because he is a sponsored child. He loves weaving his
colorful rose carpets and dreams of the day he will support his family with
his trade.
This is a stark story and the colors in the illustrations
emphasize the starkness. The theme of the family, refugees from an earlier
war in Afghanistan is still quite current. There is no explanation of Islam,
but the prayers are mentioned. Details include a school segregated by sex
and a young boy who is the head of the household by fortune of his sex. He
is protective and loving toward his mother and sister and often sneaks bits
of his food to the younger sister.
Due to the starkness of the theme, I would not read this to
younger than intermediate students, but it is an excellent example of how
lives are different around the world and the consequences of the actions of
countries toward each other.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3,
2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Non-Book Items
Arab Americans. Dir. Keith Fulton. Schlessinger Video Productions, 1993.
The first major group of Arabic immigrants was the Syrians who specialized
as peddlers and after World War I as merchants. After World War II, the
number of Arabic immigrants increased and came from other Arabic countries.
The formation of Israel especially caused an influx of displaced Arabs. This
video discusses some of the problems of prejudice and fitting in for Arab
Americans and lists the names of several prominent Arab Americans.
This would be a good video to show to secondary students studying
immigration into the US and the effects of the cultures on the US and the
Americanization of those cultures.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3, 2.1,
Geography; 3.3.
Amin, Hussein Abdulwaheed . "Islam for Today: For Westerners Seeking
Answers." Islam for Today. 2002, May 26. 26 August, 2002.
<http://www.islamfortoday.com>.
This site covers many topics important to Muslims and
non-Muslims alike. Some of the topics include the role of women in Islam,
basic beliefs, history, schools and family, and Muslims against terrorism.
There is a great deal of material against the subjugation of women, the
continued plight of Afghan women, and the anti-Islamic approach of the 9/11
terrorists. The following quote was listed: "When you see an evil act you
have to stop it with your hand. If you can't, then at least speak out
against it with your tongue. If you can't, then at least you have to hate
it with all your heart. And this is the weakest of faith." - (Sahih
Muslim, Book 1, Number 79:).
This is an excellent site for secondary and post K-12 students to research.
There is even a list of suggested books for public and college universities
by Elizabeth J., a Northwestern University librarian who is married to an
Iraqi American Muslim and has worked in the Mid-East.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, History;
1.3, 2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Novels/Short Stories/Poems
Khan, Rukhsana, Alli, Irfan, and Illus. by Gallinger, Patty. Muslim Child.
Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman and Company, 2002.
A realistic collection of poems and stories about Muslim
children from different backgrounds, focusing on holiday celebrations and
Islamic practices. The stories are set in the United States, Canada, the
United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Nigeria. The stories are told
from the viewpoint of children, the poems are praises of Allah.
Illustrations are drawings in gray scale and add to the stories. Side bar
information by Irfan Alli give insight into Islam and explanations. The book
includes a glossary in the back with pronunciations of words.
This is an interesting book that looks at Islam from the eyes of
a child. I think it would be fairly easy for non-Muslim children to put
themselves in the place of the Muslim children in the stories.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3,
2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Wormser, Richard. American Islam: Growing Up Muslim in America. New York:
Walker and Company, 1994.
This non-fiction book discusses the many problems faced by young
Muslims growing up in the US. The hardships faced by the outward dress
appearance of many female Muslims is discussed, as well as the general
problem of fitting in when many of the pleasures of American teens are
forbidden to Muslims such as girls meeting boys, girls wanting to wear
modern fashions, and the temptations of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. In some
ways it is easier for young male Muslims because they are able to dress like
any other young American male. The Black Muslim movement is also discussed.
This non-fiction book provides a great deal of fodder for
discussion at the secondary or post-K-12 levels.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, History; 1.3, 2.1,
Geography; 3.3.
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East. New
York : Greenwillow Books, 2002.
This is a full collection of Nye’s poems summoning up the
sensory delights of the Middle East and in particular, Jerusalem. Nye is a
Palestinian-American and the poems reflect her emotional and cultural
inheritance from her father’s family. Increasing violence in the Middle East
and the attack of September 11cause her deep pain. In her introduction she
writes, “For people who love the Middle East and have an ongoing devotion to
cross-cultural understanding, the day felt sickeningly tragic in more way
sthan one. A huge shadow had been cast across the lives of so many innocent
people and an ancient culture’s pride.”
This collection gives us insight that can only be granted by one
who has one foot in both worlds, an insight written especially for teens.
EALRS: Reading; 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1. 3.3, History; 1.3,
2.1, Geography; 3.3.
Craig Seasholes
Happy Medium School Library
620 20th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
library@happymedium.org
324-4847 x818
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