Children's Book Suggestions | Middle Eastern & North African Heritage Month 2025

Celebrate Middle Eastern & North African Heritage Month with these books featuring a variety of the region's cultures. To find more books, view last year's picture book and chapter book lists.

Updated March 14, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Looking for the Eid moon
Abaza, Sahtinay
Paper Book
Sara can't wait for Eid, the Muslim holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan. It's a wonderful holiday with festive decorations, special foods, and family and friends getting together. But Eid won't begin until the crescent moon is spotted.

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Drawn onward
Nayeri, Daniel
Paper Book
In this enthralling and emotional palindrome picture book by Daniel Nayeri and Matt Rockefeller, a young boy grieving the loss of his mother embarks on a lushly fantastical adventure that illuminates what remains when our loved ones are gone. All alone He was not so...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

A map for Falasteen
Odeh, Maysa
Paper Book
A Kirkus Best Book of 2024 A Booklist Editors Choice 2024 A young Palestinian girl living in diaspora struggles to find her homeland on a map in this gentle and heartfelt picture book. At school, Falasteen and her classmates are tasked with finding...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Sister friend
Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah
Paper Book
Ameena feels invisible. It's been that way since she started at her new school. But now there is another new girl in class. Ameena sees her brownness and her hijab, even though the other kids do not. Ameena wants to be her friend, but she can't seem to find the right words or do the right things....

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

The month of Ramadan
Inda Ahmad Zahri
Explore Ramadan through the eyes of a child in this graceful and authentic story that illuminates the sense of belonging that this month of fasting, prayer, and reflection brings. This month is different from the others. It starts with the sighting of a new crescent moon. 'Slow down, be kind to...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Salma joins the team
Ramadan, Ahmad Danny

Bridging Fiction (Grades 2-4)

Safiyyah's war
Khan, Hiba Noor
Paper Book
Inspired by the true story of how the Grand Mosque of Paris saved the lives of hundreds of Jews during World War II, this breathtaking tale of suspense, compassion, and courage stars an extraordinary young heroine readers will never forget. "A riveting read for children and adults alike." -...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

A strange thing happened in Cherry Hall
Warga, Jasmine
Paper Book
From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Rover's Story and Other Words for Home comes an extraordinary story about two friends, a ghost, a missing painting, and a turtle named Agatha. The perfect next read for fans of The Swifts, Kate DiCamillo, and Erin...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Kareem between
Safadi, Shifa Saltagi
Paper Book
This award-winning, heartfelt coming-of-age novel in verse tells the powerful story of a seventh-grade Syrian American boy and his struggles, big and small, as he navigates middle school. "The exact type of book I would've loved, and needed, as a kid." --Jasmine Warga,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Almost sunset
Algarmi, Wahab
Paper Book
In a contemporary middle grade graphic novel debut that Gene Luen Yang calls "funny, endearing, and an intimate look at a Muslim family," Almost Sunset follows a young Muslim American boy during Ramadan as he finds the balance between his family traditions and his secular middle school life....

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

Rumi : poet of joy and love
Kheiriyeh, Rashin
Paper Book
"Enthralling" -Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Kheiriyeh transforms a distant and revered figure into a warm, bright focal point in this biography" -School Library Journal, starred review "Be a friend to everyone." Rumi's words are needed now...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 4-8)

The one & only Googoosh : Iran's beloved superstar
Westergaard, Azadeh
Paper Book
A celebration of one of Iran's most iconic musical artists. The legendary Iranian singer and actress Googoosh (born Faegheh Atashin) made her stage debut at age two while performing alongside her acrobat father. By the time she reached adulthood, she was widely considered to be...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 4-8)


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