Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues

Topical Resources for Curriculum Needs

Compiled By Alicia Eames -- School Library Journal, 1/1/2003

"If you say you are going to the Middle East, people around you often raise their eyebrows. It is quite possible that the Middle East is one of the most negatively stereotyped places on Earth." So writes Naomi Shihab Nye in her introduction to the anthology, The Space Between Our Footsteps. Birthplace of three major religions, the Middle East is also the home of Arabs, Jews, Bedouins, Kurds, Armenians, Turks, and Berbers. Each day, newspaper headlines echo the ongoing and escalating conflicts taking place across the region. The books listed below will serve as introductions to contemporary Middle Eastern issues and support student inquiry. Several titles for high school readers were published for an adult audience but will appeal to older teens. In West of Kabul, East of New York, Tamim Ansary explores the complicated nature of his Afghan-American identity while Amy Wilentz's Martyrs' Crossing captures the essence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the death of an innocent toddler. Tom Segev's One Palestine, Complete and Bernard Lewis's What Went Wrong? offer challenging, comprehensive, and occasionally controversial historical viewpoints. While included in the section for middle school readers, Michael G. Kort's The Handbook of the Middle East, Mitch Frank's Understanding September 11th and Nye's 19 Varieties of Gazelle will prove useful for older students as well. Daniella Carmi's Samir and Yonatan, Cathryn Clinton's A Stone in My Hand, and Deborah Ellis's The Breadwinner all provide snapshots of adolescent lives adversely affected by war. Younger children will discover the Middle East, its people, and cultures through story. Rebecca Hickox's The Golden Sandal is an Iraqi "Cinderella" tale that clearly reflects cultural differences while Nye's Sitti's Secrets and Claire Sidhom Matze's The Stars in My Geddoh's Sky reveal the connections between Arab-American children and their grandparents living in distant lands. Whether children ride through the desert with Diane Stanley's Saladin or walk the streets of modern-day Fez in Ted Lewin's The Storytellers, they will begin to recognize the powerful history and the rich diversity that is the Middle East.–Alicia Eames

Fiction

DA COSTA, Deborah. Snow in Jerusalem. illus. by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu. glossary. note. Albert Whitman. 2001.
K-Gr 3 –Avi lives in an apartment in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem while Hamudi's family owns a restaurant in the Muslim Quarter. Unknowingly, both boys feed the same white cat as she wanders the city streets. Inevitably, they meet and quarrel over ownership of the stray and her kittens before negotiating a truce. Detailed watercolor illustrations capture the boys' anger and excitement as well as their cultural backgrounds. A simple story with an obvious message of hope.

HEIDE, Florence Parry & Judith Heide Gilliland. The House of Wisdom. illus. by Mary GrandPré. notes. map. bibliog. DK. 1999.
Gr 3-5 –Located in ninth-century Baghdad, the House of Wisdom was built to preserve Arabic translations of books written in "ancient Greek, Syriac Persian and Sanskrit." From here, Ishaq, a would-be scholar, travels across Asia, the Middle East, and "even to the west, to the dark ruined land of the barbarians" in search of manuscripts. Motivated by his journey, Ishaq goes on to become "the greatest translator of Aristotle who ever lived." Brilliantly hued, detailed pastels capture the grandeur and beauty of this ancient world.

LEWIN, Ted. The Storytellers. illus. by author. Lothrop. 1998.
K-Gr 3 –It is early morning, and Abdul and his grandfather are on their way to work. Abdul's grandfather is a storyteller and the boy is his helper and companion. As they walk through the ancient streets of their contemporary Moroccan city, they pass metal workers, weavers, carpenters, and merchants selling spices, chickens, and dates before arriving at their destination. Lewin's richly detailed watercolor illustrations capture the magic of a story well told.

MATTHEWS, Mary. Magid Fasts for Ramadan. illus by E. B. Lewis. notes. glossary. Houghton. 1996.
Gr 2-5 –Magid is almost eight and he doesn't understand why he can't fast for Ramadan. His mother agrees to let him miss breakfast, but the boy extends his fast by feeding his lunch to the geese. Eventually, the child's deception is discovered and he must face his parents' disappointment. A compromise is reached and Magid learns some important lessons about his faith. Notes provide facts about Islam and mention some Egyptian customs related to Ramadan.

MATZE, Claire Sidhom. The Stars in My Geddoh's Sky. illus. by Bill Farnsworth. Albert Whitman. 1999.
K-Gr 2 –When Alex's grandfather arrives from the Middle East for a long visit, the child wonders if his geddoh will know him. Before long, the two develop a special bond, sharing their cultures with effortless simplicity. When the visit comes to an end, Alex can't hide his disappointment, but he finds comfort in his grandfather's words, "Your sky, your moon, your stars are mine, too, habibi, my dear. And as you look up my thoughts will fly to you."

NAGDA, Ann Whitehead. Dear Whiskers. illus. by Stephanie Roth. Holiday House. 2000.
Gr 2-4 –A letter-writing assignment joins fourth-grader Jenny with a second grader who has recently moved to the United States from Saudi Arabia. With encouragement from her teacher, Jenny struggles to make the match successful, but Sameera's limited knowledge of English makes for rough going. Eventually, Jenny's resourcefulness opens a door to Sameera's heart. Along the way, readers learn a bit about Sameera's culture and country. An enjoyable and authentic slice of classroom life.

NYE, Naomi Shihab. Sitti's Secrets. illus. by Nancy Carpenter. S & S/Aladdin. 1994.
K-Gr 3 –Mona visits her grandmother, who "lives on the other side of the earth." Together they walk in the fields, make flat bread, drink lemonade, and eat almonds. Mona cries when it is time to leave Palestine, but she carries sitti's love back home where she writes an impassioned letter to the president. "Dear Mr. President… Last night when I watched the news on TV, I felt worried. If the people of the United States could meet Sitti, they'd like her, for sure. You'd like her too." A child's hopes and fears, simply told.

Nonfiction

HICKOX, Rebecca. The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story. illus. by Will Hillenbrand. Holiday House. 1998.
K-Gr 3 –When Maha's father marries an evil woman, a talking red fish plays fairy godmother. While this Iraqi Cinderella doesn't attend a fancy ball, she does dress in a silken gown and golden sandals to visit the bride-to-be of a wealthy merchant. Maha rushes from the party and loses her delicate shoe. When the brother of the bride is bewitched by it, his mother successfully seeks the owner, and Maha is rewarded with a happy marriage and many children. The good-humored illustrations are an added delight to a story well told.

HOYT-GOLDSMITH , Diane. Celebrating Ramadan. photos. by Lawrence Migdale. glossary. index. Holiday House. 2001.
Gr 2-6 –Meet fourth-grade Ibraheem, a Muslim who lives in New Jersey with his family. This photo-essay begins with an introduction to Islam and includes information on daily prayer, the prophet Muhammad, and the Qur'an. More importantly, it provides snapshots of the family's daily life as all of the members fast for the month of Ramadan.

STANLEY, Diane. Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam. glossary. bibliog. HarperCollins. 2002.
Gr 3-6 –This is the story of Saladin, a mighty but generous Muslim warrior who united warring factions and reclaimed Jerusalem from the Christian Crusaders in 1187. Players in this drama include Richard the Lion-Hearted and King Philip of France. Stanley's richly hued illustrations capture the majesty and mystery of both armored knights and turbaned archers. A visually stunning and clearly written account of a historic Middle Eastern hero.

Fiction

CARMI, Daniella. Samir and Yonatan. tr. from Hebrew by Yael Lotan. glossary. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Bks. 2000.
Gr 4-8 –When Samir, a Palestinian boy, is admitted to the children's ward of "the Jews' hospital," he approaches his new surroundings with intense wariness, and Tzahi, a particularly hostile ward mate, affirms his need for caution. Prolonged delays allow Samir to ponder a life marked by food shortages and curfews, but more tragically, by the death of his younger brother. A friendship with a sensitive Jewish boy helps him gain a better understanding of himself, his family, and his enemy, Tzahi.

CLINTON, Cathryn. A Stone in My Hand. Candlewick. 2002.
Gr 5-8 –Malaak Abed Atieh, 11, lives in Gaza City in 1988 during the intifada, a period of violent protests by Palestinians during Israeli occupation. When her father is killed in a bombing orchestrated by the Islamic Jihad, she buries herself in silence while her brother fights the Israeli soldiers with taunts and stones. Sorrow permeates this family's struggle to follow a father's words, "Bravery is not seen in one act. It is measured by the choices and deeds that fill every day of our lives."

ELLIS, Deborah. The Breadwinner: An Afghan Child in a War Torn Land. notes. glossary. Groundwood. 2000.
Gr 5-8 –Before the Taliban came to Kabul, 11-year-old Parvana's parents worked as teachers. When her father is arrested, she cuts her hair, dons her deceased brother's clothes, and goes to work in her father's place. With the freedom granted only to males, Parvana earns money to keep her mother and siblings alive. The family's determination to remain faithful to their beliefs while struggling to survive under a repressive regime gives this novel its power. The story is continued in Parvana's Journey (Groundwood, 2002).

NYE, Naomi Shihab. Habibi. S & S. 1997.
Gr 5-9 –Liyana, 14, moves from St. Louis to Jerusalem, the boyhood home of her Palestinian father. As the family participates in the daily routines of life in a divided country, they experience the brutal authority of Israeli soldiers as the army responds to violent Palestinian threats. When Liyana begins to date a Jewish boy, she finds an unexpected ally in her wise and spiritual grandmother. A cautiously optimistic story of hope.

TEMPLE, Frances. The Beduins' Gazelle. Orchard. 1996.
Gr 5-8 –Atiyah, the son of a Beduin sheikh, is forced to attend the university in the city of Fez to placate his powerful uncle. When he learns that his betrothed, the beautiful and clever Halima, is lost in a sandstorm, he sets out to save her. After discovering Halima in the company of a hostile neighboring tribe, Atiyah must win her back. Set in the early 14th century, this romantic adventure depicts daily life among the nomadic tribes of the Middle Eastern desert.

Nonfiction

CLARK, Charles. Islam. (Religions of the World Series). notes. glossary. bibliog. index. illus. photos. maps. Gale/Lucent. 2002.
Gr 5-9 –This introduction to the religion covers the origins and spread of Islam as well as its practices. The politics of Islam, with a sidebar on the World Trade Center and Pentagon attack, are also discussed. The textbook format has limited visual appeal but the volume offers easy access to clearly written information.

FRANK, Mitch. Understanding September 11th: Answering Questions about the Attacks on America. illus. photos. glossary. bibliog. index. Viking. 2002.
Gr 7 Up –A reporter for the New York Times begins his examination of the events of September 11 on a personal level. He was at home in Brooklyn Heights when a plane hit a tower of the World Trade Center. As a journalist, he asks questions and these questions form the headings for his chapters. "Who were the hijackers? What is Islam? Why does the Middle East matter to us? Why did we go after Afghanistan?" Frank writes, "There's no easy answer, but learning about other cultures is the only way to understand them."

KORT, Michael G. The Handbook of the Middle East. photos. maps. chron. notes. index. 21st Century Bks. 2002.
Gr 7 Up –Beginning with a definition of the Middle East, Kort moves on to provide a brief history of "the oldest and most important crossroads in human history." Each chapter focuses on the economy, geography, people, and history of a specific country. Color maps and flags are provided, as is a chronology that spans from 9000-8000 B.C.E. through 2001. An "Encyclopedia" of cities, organizations, and important people is included.

NYE, Naomi Shihab. 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East. Greenwillow. 2002.
Gr 6 Up –In a moving introduction, Nye describes her response to the events of September 11 as an Arab American and as a poet. She deplores the violence and hopes her poetry will give voice to "innocent citizens… who haven't committed any crime." While the Middle East is marked by conflict and uncertainty, it is also the home of grandmothers and children, friends and hope, flowers and fig trees. This collection provides a much-needed reminder.

Fiction

WILENTZ, Amy. Martyrs' Crossing. S & S. 2001.
Adult/High School –American born Marina Hajimi, the wife of a jailed Palestinian terrorist, is desperate to cross from Ramallah to Jerusalem. Her baby needs immediate medical attention, but the Israeli officer in charge has been ordered to block her entrance. The lieutenant eventually relents, but it is too late for Ibrahim. The Palestinian Authority uses the baby's death to advance its political agenda while the Israeli army spins damage control. The tragic consequences of a brutally bitter conflict are sensitively portrayed.

Nonfiction

ANSARY, Tamim. West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story. Farrar. 2002.
Adult/High School –This past year's events have inexorably linked Western perceptions of Afghanistan and its people to the Middle East. On September 11th, Ansary, an Afghan-American, wrote an e-mail reaction to American cries for vengeance on his native country. That globally distributed message prompted the writing of this memoir. Ansary describes the Afghanistan of his childhood, his search for an understanding of Muslim extremists, and the reconciliation of his past and present. A perceptively written personal journey.

BLUMENFELD, Laura. Revenge: A Story of Hope. photos. index. S & S. 2002.
Adult/High School –In 1986, David Blumenfeld was one of several tourists randomly targeted for murder by a group of Palestinian terrorists. Poor aim saved his life. In 1998, his daughter, a reporter for The Washington Post, moved to Jerusalem and began a yearlong inquiry into the cultural and religious nature of revenge. By befriending the imprisoned terrorist and his family, she brings an intensely personal perspective to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

HOLLIDAY, Laurel. Children of Israel, Children of Palestine: Our Own True Stories. (Children of Conflict Series). photos. bibliog. chron. Pocket Bks. 1998.
Adult/High School –In this collection of more than 30 childhood and adolescent memories, each testimony speaks of war's impact. A few recall innocent moments of reconciliation and hope, but most are painfully disturbing and brutally candid. Some narrators have witnessed the death of family members and friends; others have been beaten, strip-searched, and humiliated. Often troubling but always compelling, these accounts reveal the personal price of war.

LEWIS, Bernard. What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response. notes. index. Oxford Univ. 2002.
Adult/High School –Lewis seeks to explain the decline of Muslim power and influence in relation to Western innovation and development. Military, economic, cultural, and religious differences are addressed within a historical and modern perspective. While the author writes with authority, his assertions will stimulate rigorous debate and provide motivation for further research.

MILLER, John, ed. Inside Islam: The Faith, the People, and the Conflicts of the World's Fastest Growing Religion. bibliog. Marlowe & Company. 2002.
Adult/High School –This collection of 14 articles and book excerpts includes the work of historians, writers, and journalists, among them Karen Armstrong and Bernard Lewis. Divided into three sections, the selections focus on "The Faith," "The People," and "The Conflicts," providing a clearly written introduction to important religious, cultural, and political issues of the Middle East.

NYE, Naomi Shihab, ed. The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East. illus. map. notes. index. S & S. 1998.
Gr 7 Up –Nye, an Arab American, grew up in the United States, but "never read anything remotely connected to my father's first culture, except perhaps The Arabian Nights. This book hardly felt much like our lives." Her anthology gives voice to artists from across the Middle East and begins to fill that gap. The paintings reflect a diversity of styles while the poems sing of home, family members, childhood, and personal yearnings. A collection with universal appeal.

SEGEV, Tom. One Palestine, Complete: Jews and Arabs under the British Mandate. tr. by Haim Watzman. notes. maps. photos. Metropolitan. 2000.
Adult/High School –An Israeli journalist offers a complex but comprehensible history of Palestine from the end of Turkish rule in 1917 to the establishment of an independent Jewish state in 1948. Segev explores the consequences of British rule, the Zionist push for a Jewish homeland, and the subjugation of the Arab population. This is a valuable and insightful overview of historic events that continue to fuel a violent conflict.

WARD, Terrence. Searching for Hassan: An American Family's Journey Home to Iran. map. bibliog. photos. Houghton. 2002.
Adult/High School –Raised in Iran by intellectual parents fleeing repressive McCarthy-era politics, Ward and his three brothers retain vivid memories of a household employee, Hassan, who charmed them with delectable food and magical stories. In 1998, against government warnings, the family returned to Iran to find this beloved friend. Their hair-raising adventures and the characters they meet along the way afford an unexpected look into modern-day Iran.

WILLIAMS, Mary E., ed. The Middle East: Opposing Viewpoints. (Opposing Viewpoints Series). illus. bibliog. chron. index. Greenhaven. 2000.
Gr 9 Up –The Middle East is examined in terms of its conflicts, how religion affects the area, the role of the United States, and the advancement of peace. Each viewpoint is balanced by an opposing view and all pieces are excerpted from previously published sources. Brief introductions to each article spotlight the author's position and offer questions to consider. While all of the commentaries were written prior to 2000, they provide a useful introduction to the issues.