This April, as we celebrate Arab American Heritage Month, we’re taking time to honor the rich and diverse contributions and experiences of Arab Americans to our communities. Literacy instruction is a powerful tool for inclusive education all year long, in addition to during heritage months, and the books we read to and with children play a vital role in shaping children’s perspectives, identities, and supporting cultural understanding.
The Power of Representation in Children's Literature
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's influential metaphor of books as "mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors" offers us a framework for understanding why diverse representation matters in children's literature. As Dr. Bishop explained:
"Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection, we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience." (Bishop, 1990)
For Arab American children, seeing themselves represented in books provides essential "mirrors" that validate their identities and experiences. For non-Arab American children, these books offer "windows" into Arab American culture, fostering empathy and understanding. When these windows become "sliding glass doors," readers of all backgrounds can step into narratives that expand their worldview.
As National Book Award winner, Shifa Safadi, a Syrian-American, reflected, “Thank you to the Muslim authors who stepped forward first and paved the way for me to be inspired to follow my dream of writing… I would not have had the bravery of writing my first words if I had not seen Muslim books on the shelf” (Yorio, 2024). Now, Shifa and her books will become mirrors for many young Arab Americans. Her books will provide mirrors and windows for non-Arab children as well, and they will be able to relate and learn so much through the experiences she shares through her writing.
Building Knowledge and Identity
Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's Historically Responsive Literacy Framework emphasizes the importance of cultivating identity, skills, intellect, and criticality in young readers (Muhammad, 2020). When we include diverse Arab American literature in our collections and curricula, we help young people develop positive cultural identities while building crucial knowledge about the world.
As Muhammad notes, literacy education should help students understand who they are and who they can become. For Arab American children, seeing their culture celebrated in books helps them develop pride in their heritage. For all children, exposure to diverse stories creates a more expansive understanding of American identity.
Why Arab American Literature Matters
Centering Arab American literature, not just in April, but all year long, provides several benefits to young readers:
Cultural Authenticity: Arab American authors bring authentic voices and experiences to their stories, countering stereotypes and misrepresentations. The authors represented below represent a range of experiences, cultural identities, and personal perspectives.
Diverse Perspectives: Arab Americans represent diverse religious, national, and cultural backgrounds, helping readers understand the richness within Arab American communities.As global educator, Dr. Sawsan Jaber, reflected in an interview, “It’s really important if you’re teaching populations of Arab students or teaching about Arab students to consider the fact that the Arab countries are so different” (as cited in Gonzalez, 2022).
Universal Themes: These books often explore universal themes like family, friendship, and belonging through culturally specific experiences. This creates an affirming space for children who share these experiences and allows for children with differing identities to relate to the stories told.
Language Appreciation: Many Arab American children's books incorporate Arabic words and phrases, creating linguistic bridges between cultures.
Five New Arab American Picture Books for Your Collection
Here are five newer outstanding titles that celebrate Arab American experiences for young readers:
The Arabic Quilt by Aya Khalil
Kanzi, a young Egyptian American girl, brings her Arabic heritage into her new classroom through a beautiful quilt project. When she feels embarrassed about her mother's accent and her Egyptian lunch, her teacher helps transform her cultural heritage into a classroom-wide celebration of names and languages. This touching story demonstrates how cultural differences can unite rather than divide.
Halal Hot Dogs by Susannah Aziz
Every Friday after prayers, Musa and his family enjoy their special tradition—halal hot dogs from their favorite vendor! This joyful story celebrates not only this Palestinian-American family but works to affirm their rituals and the delicious diversity of halal food. This book uplifts this Muslim American family’s experience, providing readers with ways to see similarities and perhaps differences with their own experiences. The vibrant illustrations and mouth-watering food descriptions make this a delightful read for children of all backgrounds.
Arab, Arab All Year Long! by Cathy Camper
This celebratory picture book takes readers through the seasons, highlighting Arab American children enjoying traditional American activities while incorporating elements of their cultural heritage. From summer barbecues with kabobs to winter sledding followed by warm mint tea, the book beautifully illustrates how Arab American traditions blend seamlessly into American life throughout the year.
Eleven Words for Love by Randa Abdel-Fattah
This lyrical picture book explores the eleven different Arabic words for love through the eyes of a young girl experiencing various forms of love in her daily life. From the love between family members to love for community, nature, and traditions, this book celebrates the richness of the Arabic language while illustrating universal emotional connections that all children can relate to.
Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper
When Lina walks to her grandmother's apartment to help make Warak Enab (stuffed grape leaves) during a snowstorm, she discovers ten different ways to experience snow through her senses. This gentle, sensory-rich story weaves together themes of mindfulness, intergenerational bonds, and cultural food traditions into a warm winter tale that resonates across cultures.
Five New Arab American Middle Grade Books for Your Collection
Here are five newer outstanding titles that celebrate Arab American experiences for middle-grade readers. These would make exceptional additions to your school or classroom library as well as provide for fantastic class read alouds.
Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
This 2024 National Book Award-winning novel in verse is a poignant coming-of-age novel, of a Syrian-American boy, Kareem. Throughout this story Kareem navigates life between cultures, identities, and expectations. Dealing with family pressures, national politics and personal dreams, he discovers what it means to create his own path when you belong to multiple worlds at once.
Farah Rocks Series by Susan Muaddi Darraj
Farah Hajjar is a smart, determined, Palestinian-American middle schooler who will do anything to protect her younger brother from bullies. As she prepares for a competitive test to attend a prestigious academy, she must balance her academic ambitions with looking out for her family in this heartwarming story about loyalty and perseverance.
The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye
A gentle, beautifully written story about a young boy named Aref who is reluctant to leave his home in Oman for a three-year stay in Michigan. As his departure approaches, Aref and his grandfather embark on a series of adventures around Oman, collecting memories and finding courage to face new beginnings.
Silverworld by Diana Abu-Jaber
This captivating fantasy, by Jordanian-American writer Diana Abu-Jaber, weaves together Middle Eastern folklore with contemporary themes as a young protagonist discovers magical abilities connected to their heritage. When ancient powers and modern worlds collide, the journey reveals surprising truths about family, identity, and courage.
Huda F. Series by Huda Fahmy
In this witty graphic novel series, Huda, a young Egyptian-American, navigates the complexities of high school, identity, and finding her voice. When a community crisis arises, Huda must decide how to take action and stand up for what she believes in, discovering her capacity for caring for family, showing leadership skills, and taking action along the way.
Creating Inclusive Reading Spaces
As educators, librarians, and parents, we can help children connect with these important stories by:
Including Arab and Arab American books in read-alouds, shared reading, book clubs, and classroom libraries all year long, not just during heritage months
Providing context and background information when sharing these stories, including sharing images and biographical information about the authors, locating the nations represented on classroom maps, and creating space for Arab and Arab American students and families to share their own cultural identities in the classroom
Inviting Arab and Arab American community members to share their experiences and stories
Creating book displays that highlight the diversity within Arab American communities
Pairing fiction with age-appropriate nonfiction and non-traditional informational texts such as photographs, videos, and artifacts about Arab countries and cultures
.
By intentionally including Arab and Arab American literature in our collections and conversations, we provide all children with the mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors they need to thrive in our diverse society (Bishop, 1990).
What Arab and Arab American children's books have you discovered and loved? Share your recommendations in the comments below!
This blog post is part of our ongoing commitment to celebrating diverse voices in children's literature. For more resources on inclusive literacy practices, please check out these prior blog posts: Ten Books Celebrating Black Joy, Great New Biographies for Black History Month, Five Fantastic Chapter Books to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month, and Five Picture Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
References
Abdel-Fattah, R. (2023). Eleven words for love. Penguin Random House.
Aziz, S. (2021). Halal hot dogs. Little Bee Books.
Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3), 1–2.
Camper, C. (2020). Ten ways to hear snow. Kokila.
Camper, C. (2023). Arab, Arab all year long! Clarion Books.
Darraj, S. (2020). Farah rocks. Stone Arch Books.
Fahmy, H. (2021). Huda F. Are You. Dial Books
Gonzalez, J. (2022, February 14). Supporting Arab American students in our classrooms [Interview with S. Jaber]. Cult of Pedagogy.
Abu-Jaber, D. (2022). Silverworld. HarperCollins.
Khalil, A. (2020). The Arabic quilt: An immigrant story. Tilbury House Publishers.
Muhammad, G. (2020). Cultivating genius: An equity framework for culturally and historically responsive literacy. Scholastic Teaching Resources.
Nye, N. S. (2014). The turtle of Oman. Greenwillow Books.
Saltagi Safadi, S. (2023). Kareem between. Candlewick Press.
Yorio, K. (2024). Kareem between wins 2024 National Book Award Young People's Literature.