SWANA & Arab American Books for Kids

There is joy in seeing yourself reflected in books and there is knowledge in reading other’s stories. This list is a selection of books featuring characters and cultures of Arab and other South West Asian & North African American communities.

Updated July 6, 2026
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Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
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SWANA & Arab American Books for Kids

There is joy in seeing yourself reflected in books and there is knowledge in reading other’s stories. This list is a selection of books featuring characters and cultures of Arab and other South West Asian & North African American communities.

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The book that almost rhymed
Abed, Omar
Paper Book
Every great adventure needs a hero-or two! This playful take on storytelling and equity proves that two tellers can make a rhyming tale twice as nice. What do you do with an interrupting sibling? Especially when she's stepping all over your story with wild ideas that don't...
Farah rocks fifth grade
Darraj, Susan Muaddi
Paper Book
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...
Farah rocks new beginnings /
Darraj, Susan Muaddi.
Paper Book
Farah Hajjar is just starting sixth grade at the Magnet Academy when something terrible happens--her house burns down. Even worse, the house fire may be her fault. When her family moves to temporary housing, Farah feels the guilt piling up. Luckily Farah finds comfort in writing, and she channels...
It ain't so awful, falafel /
Dumas, Firoozeh.
Paper Book
Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh is the new kid on the block...for the fourth time. California's Newport Beach is her family's latest perch, and she's determined to shuck her brainy loner persona and start afresh with a new Brady Bunch name--Cindy. It's the late 1970s, and fitting in...
The Arabic quilt : an immigrant story
Khalil, Aya
Other
The beautiful story of diversity follows a young girl named Kanzi whose most treasured reminder of her old home provides a pathway for acceptance in her new one.
The night before Eid : a Muslim family story
Khalil, Aya
Paper Book
★ "A beautiful story of joy, tradition, and family."―Kirkus Reviews, starred review Celebrate the end of Ramadan with this luminous Muslim family story about faith, history, and delicious foods. On the night...
Saffron ice cream
Kheiriyeh, Rashin
Paper Book
A joyous celebration of a girl's first family outing in a new country"With her colorful, exuberant folk-art illustrations and upbeat, friendly tone, Rashin makes a daunting cross-cultural leap seem as easy as a summer breeze." -- New York Times Book ReviewRashin is excited about her...
Where butterflies fill the sky : a story of immigration, family, and finding home
Marwan, Zahra
Paper Book
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 ...
Hope is an arrow : the story of Lebanese American poet Kahlil Gibran
McCarthy, Cory
Paper Book
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...
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...
Mama in Congress : Rashida Tlaib's journey to Washington
Tlaib, Rashida
Paper Book
An inspiring picture book that tells the story of Rashida Tlaib, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, and her family. Perfect for readers of books that celebrate trailblazing women and social activists as well as those looking for an introduction to civic engagement and how...
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https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/2500.3113/list/8098

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