Muslim and Middle Eastern Protagonists for Young Readers
Discover inspiring books with Muslim and Middle Eastern protagonists for young readers. Explore diverse stories that celebrate culture, identity, and adventure in this curated list of must-read titles.
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Ask Me No Questions
by Marina Budhos
Fourteen-year-old Nadira, her sister, and their parents leave Bangladesh for New York City, but the expiration of the visas and the events of September 11, 2001, bring frustration, sorrow, and terror for the whole family.
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Under the Persimmon Tree
by Suzanne Fisher Staples
During the 2001 Afghan War, the lives of Najmah, a young refugee from Kunduz, Afghanistan, and Nusrat, an American-Muslim teacher who is awaiting her huband's return from Mazar-i-Sharif, intersect at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan.
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Samir and Yonatan
by Daniella Carmi
Samir, is sent to an Israeli hospital where he makes friends with an Israeli boy, who travels with him to Mars, and finds peace about his brother's death.
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Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow
by Faïza Guène
Struggling with an overworked mother, an absent father, and the challenges of life within the infamous Paradise projects of suburban Paris, fifteen-year-old French Muslim Doria endures a parade of social workers, experiences a first kiss, and assumes a philosophical outlook regarding her circumstances. A first novel. Original. 75,000 first printing.
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The Breadwinner
by Deborah Ellis
Because the Taliban rulers of Kabul, Afghanistan, impose strict limitations on women's freedom and behavior, eleven-year-old Parvana must disguise herself as a boy so that her family can survive after her father's arrest.
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Parvana's Journey
by Deborah Ellis
After her father's death, Parvana, now thirteen-years-old, continues to search for her mother in war-torn Afghanistan, joining with two younger children who are also struggling to survive.
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Haveli
by Suzanne Fisher Staples
In this sequel to the Newbery Honor book "Shabanu, " Shabanu, the youngest ofRahim's four wives, flees with her daughter to Rahim's old family home in thecity to escape the cruelty and jealously of his other wives.
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The Parallel Universe of Liars
by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson
Robin’s neighbor Frankie is like walking sex. He’s 23, hot, charming, and used to getting what he wants. When Janice, Robin’s stepmom, first meets Frankie, they lock eyes with an almost audible sizzle. Not long after, Robin discovers they’re having an affair. She is shocked, angry, curious, even jealous—but not really surprised. It’s just one more hurtful secret to be kept in this parallel universe of liars. Surrounded by superficiality, infidelity, and lies, Robin, 15 and a self-described “chunk,” has a secret of her own—she can’t stay away from Frankie, either. But when a new guy ambles into her life, Robin must find a way to escape her own tangle of deception to capture something real.
