Arab American Heritage Month - Books for Children

National Arab American Heritage Month is a month-long celebration of Arab culture and the contributions of Arab Americans in the United States.

Arab Americans are people who came from or whose ancestors came from one of twenty-two Arab nations in northern Africa or the Middle East. An Arab nation is one where people speak the Arabic language. There are twenty-two Arab nations, and the largest by population include Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia. Other Arab nations include Bahrain, the Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

In 2021, the world’s Arab population was estimated to be about 436 million. Oregon’s Arab American community is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. with more than 31,000 Arab Americans living in Oregon.

To celebrate Arab American Heritage Month, check out one of these recommended books!

Updated April 24, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Milwaukie Ledding Library
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My name is Bana
Alabed, Bana
A poignant picture book memoir from Bana Alabed, the seven-year-old Syrian girl from Aleppo whose messages to the world have turned her into a global symbol and advocate for refugee rights. "I just want to live without fear." --Bana Alabed, Twitter, October 12, 2016 ...
Arab Arab all year long!
Camper, Cathy
Celebrate the beauty and diversity of life in the Arab diaspora throughout the year. Wrapping grape leaves, playing doumbek, drawing henna tattoos, we're Arab, Arab, Arab, the whole year through! Yallah! From January to December, join some busy kids as...
Ten ways to hear snow
Camper, Cathy
A snowy day, a trip to Grandma's, time spent cooking with one another, and space to pause and discover the world around you come together in this perfect book for reading and sharing on a cozy winter day. One winter morning, Lina wakes up to silence. It's the sound of snow -- the...
Farah rocks fifth grade
Darraj, Susan Muaddi
Farah and her best friend, Allie Liu, are getting excited to turn in their applications to the Magnet Academy, where they both hope to attend sixth grade. But when new girl Dana Denver shows up, Farah's world is turned upside down. As Dana starts bullying Farah's little brother, Samir, Farah begins...
The cat man of Aleppo
Latham, Irene
The Caldecott Honor-winning true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats.   Aleppo's city center no longer echoes with the rich, exciting sounds of copper-pot pounding and...
Where butterflies fill the sky : a story of immigration, family, and finding home
Marwan, Zahra
A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book One of NPR's Best Books of 2022 Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Informational Books for Younger Readers of 2022 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2022 The Society of...
Hope is an arrow : the story of Lebanese American poet Kahlil Gibran
McCarthy, Cory
A lyrical biography of Kahlil Gibran by award-winning writer Cory McCarthy, with glorious illustrations by Caldecott Honoree and two-time Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner Ekua Holmes. Before Kahlil Gibran became the world's third-best-selling poet of all time, he was...
The turtle of Oman : a novel
Nye, Naomi Shihab.
Praised by the Horn Book as "both quiet and exhilarating," this novel by the acclaimed poet and National Book Award Finalist Naomi Shihab Nye follows Aref Al-Amri as he says goodbye to everything and everyone he loves in his hometown of Muscat, Oman, as his family prepares to move...
Egyptian lullaby
Pliska, Zeena M.
A rich, beautifully layered ode to the great city of Cairo, Egypt, its people, and culture. Every night, my Ametti Fatma sings the sounds of Egypt to me as I fall asleep. This is the Nile, that flows through the city. ...
Salma makes a home
Ramadan, Ahmad Danny
A 2023 NYPL Best Book for Kids! Charming, creative Salma takes on big feelings with even bigger ideas as she navigates life in a new country, Syrian identity, family changes and new friendships in this engaging and heartfelt early chapter book series. After a year, eleven...
Salma the Syrian chef
Ramadan, Ahmad Danny.
"Sure to become a favorite book about overcoming hardships and helping others. This is truly one story not to be missed." --Provo Library Children's Book Reviews 17 awards, nominations, and distinctions! Newcomer Salma and friends cook up a heartwarming dish to cheer up Mama. ...
Tagging freedom
Roumani, Rhonda
Out of the revolutions across the Arab world comes this inspirational story of hope, freedom, and belonging, perfect for fans of Other Words for Home and A Good Kind of Trouble. Kareem Haddad of Damascus, Syria, never...
Yara's spring
Saeed, Jamal
Coming of age against all odds in the midst of the Arab Spring. Growing up in Aleppo, Yara's childhood has long been shadowed by the coming revolution. But when the Arab Spring finally arrives at Yara's doorstep, it is worse than even her Nana imagined: sudden, violent, and deadly. When...
Nour's secret library
Tarnowska, Wafa'
Forced to take shelter when their Syrian city is plagued with bombings, young Nour and her cousin begin to bravely build a secret underground library. Based on the author's own life experience and inspired by a true story, Nour's Secret Library is about the power of books to heal, transport and...
Other words for home
Warga, Jasmine
New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor Book! A gorgeously written, hopeful middle grade novel in verse about a young girl who must leave Syria to move to the United States, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Aisha Saeed. Jude never thought she'd be...
The world is not a rectangle : a portrait of architect Zaha Hadid
Winter, Jeanette
A Washington Post Best Children's Book of 2017 Parents' Choice Recommended Get to know Zaha Hadid in this nonfiction picture book about the famed architect's life and her triumph over adversity from celebrated author-illustrator Jeanette Winter. Zaha...
The magical reality of Nadia
Yu?suf, Ba?sim
Inspired by the author's real life experiences, this rollicking, charming novel follows sixth grade Egyptian immigrant Nadia as she navigates the ups and downs of friendships, racism, and some magic, too! Nadia loves fun facts. Here are a few about her: * She collects bobbleheads -- she...

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