10 Books to Read for Arab American Heritage Month

Published on 26 April 2023 at 12:48

April is Arab American Heritage Month, so let's close out the month by reading books with positive Arab American representation! The United States has a history of painting people of Arab heritage in a negative light. Arab people are overrepresented in American literature, television, and film as terrorists, antagonists, or enemies, so it's high time to read some books with Arab American protagonists. People of Arab descent have a great deal of diversity. According to the The Diplomatic Service of the European Union (https://www.eeas.europa.eu/_en), twenty-two countries are officially part of the League of Arab States (LAS). They include:

  • Algeria
  • Comoros
  • Egypt
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritania
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Somalia
  • Syria (Syria's membership was suspended in 2011)
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Bahrain
  • Djibouti
  • Iraq
  • Kuwait
  • Libya
  • Morocco
  • Palestine
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sudan
  • Tunisia
  • Yemen

Image Description: A book with browning pages lies open on a reflective surface. The background is blurred.

Credit: Aaron Burden / Unsplash via Webador

10 Books to Read for Arab American Heritage Month

  1. The Arabic Quilt (Aya Khalil): This children's picture book recounts a moment in the author's life in which she felt included by her teacher and peers despite being in a community that lacked diversity. Learn more about the book, its author and purchase options on the author website. Use WorldCat to find the book at a library near you.
  2. Bride of the Sea (Eman Quotah): Fiction winner for the 2022 Arab American Book Award, this book is set in Cleveland and tells the story of a girl whose parents divorce. When her father moves back to Saudi Arabia, her mother runs away with her in fear of losing her daughter in the separation. Learn more about the author, the book, and where to purchase it on the author website. Use WorldCat to find a library near you or let OpenLibrary know that you want to read this book.
  3. Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America (Laila Lalami): This essay collection focuses on the ways that religion, race, and gender impact privilege in America through comparisons to the life she led in Morocco prior to her move to the United States. Learn more about the author, book, and purchasing options on the author website. Listen to the author's CSPAN discussion as part of the Wisconsin Book Festival archived on the InternetArchive. Look for this book at a library near you with GoogleBooks.
  4. Don't Forget Us Here (Mansoor Adayfi): Winner of the Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award, this is the memoir of an innocent Guantánamo Bay detainee from Yemen. You can learn more about the author on the Art from Guantánamo Bay website. Listen to the author in this CSPAN recording on InternetArchive. Use GoogleBooks to find this book at a library near you or let OpenLibrary you want to read this book.
  5. Grape Leaves: A Century of Arab-American Poetry: Twenty poets are included in this collection. A vast swath of the Arab community is represented, including Muslim, Jewish, and Christian writers as well as poets from the US and across the Arab states. Read or listen to the book on InternetArchive for free or buy it on the International Book Centre website.
  6. I was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir (Malaka Gharib): Winner of the Arab American Book Award, this graphic memoir is a coming-of-age story about learning to balance being part of a multi-cultural family, trying to fit into white culture, and navigating the tension between both. Look for this book at a library near you on WorldCat or purchase the book on Amazon.
  7. Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story (Reem Faruqi): A children's book designed to introduce Ramadan to children highlights the story of a girl who moves from Abu Dhabi to Georgia. It shows a positive instance of children from outside her community learning about her culture and valuing her. Learn more about the book, its author, and more books like it on the author's website. Read or listen to the book for free on InternetArchive or buy the book on Amazon.
  8. Never in a Hurry (Naomi Shihab Nye): Another collection of essays, this one comes from the perspective of Palestinian-born, Nye, discusses travel, culture, and the journey toward ourselves. Read or listen to the book for free on InternetArchive or buy it on Amazon.
  9. Other Words for Home (Jasmine Warga): For ages 8-12, this book centers a Syrian refugee who flees violence at home to live with family in Cincinnati. Learn more about the book, its author, and purchasing options on the author website. Check WorldCat to find this book at a library near you.
  10. Silverworld (Diana Abu-Jaber): Written for grades 3-5, this fantasy book illustrates the feeling of existing in two worlds through characters who travel between this world and a mirror realm. Check WorldCat or GoogleBooks to find this book at a library near you or buy the book on Penguin Random House.

Sources:

Want to join the conversation? Follow Underground Bookshelf on social media:

Like what you read? Share with people in your network:

«   »

Add comment

Comments

There are no comments yet.