Once Upon an Eid by S.K. Ali

Once Upon an Eid is written by multiple authors. I didn't know anything about Eid before listening to this book but I appreciate how the stories brought me into another world and give me better understanding of a culture I'm still learning about. Having students from diverse backgrounds, this book is a good one to add to children's and middle school libraries.

Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana

This is a very powerful story bringing viewpoints into a young Muslim teen girl. It opened my world a little bit more. I would add Hope Ablaze to my high school library. I think it is very important and a strong story. It feels like a very authentic book.

This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed

This Book Won't Burn By Samira Ahmed is brilliant. It reflects some very sad realities that are going on in America. Book banning, Bullying, attacks on cultures. This should be in every school and public library. The audiobook is also good. You care about the characters from the start as a Muslim family moves for a fresh start after their husband/father abandons them. The school principal is under the control of a wealthy man running for office. What's scary is that this book reflects some harsh realitites of life. When the library books are being question by a marginal community and books are pulled, this becomes the catalyst of revealing the true architects of discrimination. A good read. Highly recommend it. So says a teacher librarian.

An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi

 

This is an artfully crafted book that I want in my library. Each word is weighted with depth and poignancy.  The story grabs you from the beginning.  A book that I need to add to the library.  An excellent read.

The Cat I Never Named by Amra Sabic El-Rayess with Sullivan

Add this one to your high school library.  The dangers of being a Muslim girl/family in Bosnia.  Based on true accounts, a teen girl who loves going to school faces all sorts of dangers.  This is an important read.  

 

Yaffa and Fatima by Fawzia Gilani-Williams

 This book should be told to every child in the world.  Every adult should read this book as well.  If I could give this as a gift to former world leaders as well as current, I would.  It's about helping people out and being part of a community.  A good read.

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

 The awkwardness of middle school, the strength of friendship and the guilt of mistakes.  A good read. brings in opportunities to learn about Muslims.  And talks about friendship.  Add this one to middle school libraries.  Enjoy.

The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad and Ali

 This is a book that belongs in all libraries, no matter what the grade.  It is beautifully written and illustrated about two girls getting ready for their first day of school.  Imagine how proud the girls are as the oldest shops for a hijab and then how sad they feel when mean words are spoken at school.  A good book to read to students about diversity.  

All We Have Left by Wendy Mills

Get this book in your library now.  It is an excellent read.  Grief, understanding, anger and pain coupled with family dysfunction and things not said makes this a woven story of two time frames of a tragic time and years later.  A sister who was very little when her brother died.  A scarf, a knife and story uncovered when the truth is sought.  A powerful read.  You are taken in to the towers in a time when destruction and urgency lead to survival.

Yes No Maybe So by Albertalli & Saeed

Sweet story about growing up, falling in love and figuring it out.  It's a good read.  Enjoy.

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

I am so getting this for my high school library and book talking it.  It's a must for all high school libraries to add to their collection.  I looked at the author's page on Good Reads.  I would love for her to come to my high school.  If you ever make it to Fresno, California, come talk to my high school students.  You nailed it.  A good read and insightful.  The author writes with great authenticity.
Thank you for writing this book.

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker-Rhodes

This book is fine.  A young girl living in New York City in a homeless shelter is also sheltered from the knowledge of the days the Twin Towers fell.  The story has her making friends with diverse students in a new school.  It's fine for any library.

Factory Girl by Josanne La Valley

This book will haunt me for a very long time.  It's based on true events set in a fictional account.  This story is a must for everyone to read about how girls are endangered and abused in China because they are from a minority culture.  They are basically slaves and trapped with no freedom what so ever.  Overworked and not even paid.  In fact they are charged for everything.  THIS STORY WILL STAY WITH YOU.  A must read. I'm adding this to my library.

Internment by Samira Ahmed

This is so scary because it could be so real.  History can be repeated if we don't pay attention to the past.  This reminded me of my father who was a music teacher at Tule Lake during the 1940s when Japanese and Japanese -Americans were sent to internment camps.  He talked about how racism was such a problem and people did horrible things to a targeted group. 

Now is the time setting of Muslims sent to a camp.  If you take different times when a country, USA with both Native Americans and also with Japanese and then the Germans and the Russians when they targeted groups into camps and put the focus on various Muslims you have one intense story.

I'm getting this for my high school library.  This is a very important read.

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

I think that this is an important story to add to high school libraries.  It brings in culture and bullying and growing and maturing.  A must read for all.

Saints and Misfits by S K Ali

I don't know a lot about the different cultures in the Muslin world.  This book is perfect to have any high school library to bring diversity of all cultures in to the access of reading teens.  It also deals with attempted rape and how the victim feels.  It's a good book.  I'm adding it to my library.