Theme: Religious Differences

After the Last Border

Posted by on Oct 23, 2020 in North America, Syrian, Syrian American, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Family Separation, Theme: Fleeing Persecution, Theme: Human Rights, Theme: Immigration, Theme: Migrant Life, Theme: Racial Discrimination, Theme: Refugee Life, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Persecution, Theme: Survival, Theme: Trauma, United States | Comments Off on After the Last Border

After the Last Border

After the Last Border By Jessica Goudeau Published by Penguin Publishing Group ISBN: 9780525559139 Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “Goudeau’s sometimes heartbreaking narratives personalize the refugee crisis in ways cold news accounts cannot.”  —Library Journal Description The welcoming and acceptance of immigrants and refugees has been central to America’s identity for centuries–yet America has periodically turned its back at the times of greatest humanitarian need. After the Last Border is an intimate look at the lives of two women as...

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A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Posted by on May 17, 2020 in Ages 13 and up, Muslim American, North America, Persian American, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Gender Roles, Theme: Identity, Theme: Race, Theme: Racial Discrimination, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Persecution, United States | Comments Off on A Very Large Expanse of Sea

A Very Large Expanse of Sea

A Very Large Expanse of Sea By Tahereh Mafi Published by HarperCollins Publishers ISBN-13: 9780062866578 Age Range: 13+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “A moving coming-of-age narrative about the viciousness of Islamophobia and the unwavering power of love in post-9/11 America.”  —Kirkus Reviews Description It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired...

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Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Posted by on Mar 27, 2020 in Ages 14 and up, Mexican American, North America, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: First Generation, Theme: Grandparents & Intergenerational, Theme: Identity, Theme: Religious Differences, United States | Comments Off on Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces By Isabel Quintero Published by Cinco Puntos Press ISBN-13: 9781935955955 Age Range: 14+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “A fresh, authentic and honest exploration of contemporary Latina identity.”  —Kirkus Reviews Description Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy’s pregnancy, Sebastian’s coming out, the cute boys, her father’s meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity. July 24 My mother named me...

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Sona and the Wedding Game

Posted by on Feb 4, 2020 in Ages 04 and up, Indian American, North America, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Celebration, Theme: Community, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Grandparents & Intergenerational, Theme: Religious Differences, United States | Comments Off on Sona and the Wedding Game

Sona and the Wedding Game

Sona and the Wedding Game By Kashmira Sheth Illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi Published by Peachtree Publishing Company ISBN-13: 9781561457359 Age Range: 4+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “Sona, a young Indian-American girl, learns about the traditional wedding customs of her family’s region during the preparations for her sister’s marriage.”  —Kirkus Reviews Description Experience the magic of a traditional Indian wedding! Sona’s big sister is getting married and she’s been given an important job to do. She has to steal the groom’s shoes. She’s...

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Satoko and Nada

Posted by on Feb 4, 2020 in Ages 13 and up, Japanese, North America, Saudi, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Identity, Theme: Migrant Life, Theme: Multicultural Friendship, Theme: Religious Differences, United States | Comments Off on Satoko and Nada

Satoko and Nada

Satoko and Nada By Yupechika Published by Seven Seas Entertainment LLC ISBN-13: 9781626929098 Age Range: 13+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “…makes Ramadan approachable to young audiences.” —School Library Journal Description Satoko, a Japanese student studying in America, has a new roommate: a Saudi Arabian woman named Nada! They might have different customs, but through mutual respect—and the hilarious adventures of their daily life—Satoko and Nada prove that friendship knows no borders. Groups Represented Japanese Saudi Themes #OwnVoices...

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All-American Muslim Girl

Posted by on Dec 6, 2019 in Ages 12 and up, Muslim American, North America, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Identity, Theme: Race, Theme: Racial Discrimination, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Faith, United States | Comments Off on All-American Muslim Girl

All-American Muslim Girl

All-American Muslim Girl By Nadine Jolie Courtney Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux ISBN-13: 9780374309527 Age Range: 12+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “…examines matters of subtle and blatant Islamophobia, privilege and erasure, and questions of faith and identity…”  —Publishers Weekly Description Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she’s a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she’s dating popular, sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells’s father is Jack Henderson, America’s most famous conservative...

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I Was Their American Dream

Posted by on Oct 1, 2019 in Egpyt, Egyptian American, Filipino American, Middle East, North America, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Family Separation, Theme: First Generation, Theme: Identity, Theme: Multicultural Friendship, Theme: Race, Theme: Religious Differences, United States | Comments Off on I Was Their American Dream

I Was Their American Dream

I Was Their American Dream By Malaka Gharib Published by Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale ISBN-13: 9780525575115 Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “A heartwarming tribute to immigrant families and their descendants trying to live the American dream.”  —Kirkus Reviews Description I Was Their American Dream is at once a coming-of-age story and a reminder of the thousands of immigrants who come to America in search for a better life for themselves and their children. The daughter of parents with unfulfilled dreams themselves, Malaka navigated her childhood...

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Lailah’s Lunchbox

Posted by on Jul 16, 2019 in Ages 06 and up, Muslim, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Celebration, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Education, Theme: Immigration, Theme: Migrant Life, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Faith | Comments Off on Lailah’s Lunchbox

Lailah’s Lunchbox

Lailah’s Lunchbox By Reem Faruqi Illustrated by Lea Lyon Published by Tilbury House Publishers ISBN-13: 9780884484318 Age Range: 6+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat If you’re looking for an introduction to Ramadan for young readers (ages 5 to 8), consider this picture book.  —New York Times Description Lailah is in a new school in a new country, thousands of miles from her old home, and missing her old friends. When Ramadan begins, she is excited that she is finally old enough to participate in the fasting but worried that her classmates won’t understand why she...

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The Poet X

Posted by on Apr 5, 2019 in Ages 13 and up, Domincian American, North America, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: First Generation, Theme: Gender Roles, Theme: Identity, Theme: Immigration, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Faith, Theme: Sibling Relationship, Theme: The Arts, Trinidadian American, United States | Comments Off on The Poet X

The Poet X

The Poet X By Elizabeth Acevedo Published by HarperCollins Publishers ISBN-13: 9780062662804 Age Range: 13+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “Poignant and real, beautiful and intense, this story of a girl struggling to define herself is as powerful as Xiomara’s name: “one who is ready for war.”” —Kirkus Reviews Description Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to...

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The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

Posted by on Apr 2, 2019 in Ages 14 and up, Asian (South), Bangladesh, Bengali American, Muslim American, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Gender Roles, Theme: Grandparents & Intergenerational, Theme: Identity, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Sibling Relationship, United States | Comments Off on The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali By Sabina Khan Published by Scholastic Inc. ISBN-13: 9781338227017 Age Range: 14+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “With an up-close depiction of the intersection of the LGBTQIA+ community with Bengali culture, this hard-hitting and hopeful story is a must-purchase for any YA collection.”  —School Library Journal Description With a welcome mix of humor, heart, and high-stakes drama, Sabina Khan provides a timely and honest portrait of what it’s like to grow up feeling unwelcome in your own culture. Reviews &...

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All Are Welcome

Posted by on Aug 10, 2018 in Ages 04 and up, North America, Theme: Advocacy, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Bilingual Character, Theme: Celebration, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Education, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Immigration, Theme: Multicultural Friendship, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Faith, United States | Comments Off on All Are Welcome

All Are Welcome

All Are Welcome By Alexandra Penfold Illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman Published by Random House Children’s Books Age Range: 4+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “…the book’s refrain of “All are welcome here” feels both deeply reassuring and almost radical in our polarized time.”  —Publishers Weekly Description Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where kids in patkas, hijabs, and yarmulkes play side-by-side with friends in baseball caps. A school where students grow and learn...

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One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together

Posted by on Apr 17, 2018 in African (East), Muslim, Somali, Theme: Building Futures, Theme: Celebration, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Immigration, Theme: Racial Discrimination, Theme: Refugee Life, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Repression, Theme: Xenophobia | Comments Off on One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together

One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together

One Goal: A Coach, a Team, and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together By Amy Bass Published by Hachette Books Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “Bass’s effective portrayal of Lewiston as a microcosm of America’s changing culture should be required reading for coaches, teachers, and those working with diverse populations.”  —Publishers Weekly Description When thousands of Somali refugees resettled in Lewiston, Maine, a struggling, overwhelmingly white town, longtime residents grew uneasy. Then the mayor wrote a letter asking Somalis to stop coming,...

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The Night Diary

Posted by on Mar 10, 2018 in Ages 08 and up, Asian (South), India, Indian, Pakistan, Pakistani, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Bi-racial Identity, Theme: Citizenship, Theme: Community, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Cultural Traditions, Theme: Family Death, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Historical, Theme: Identity, Theme: Immigration, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Faith, Theme: Religious Persecution, Theme: Survival, Theme: War | Comments Off on The Night Diary

The Night Diary

The Night Diary By Veera Hiranandani Published by Penguin Young Readers Group Age Range: 8+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “This rich, compelling story, which speaks to the turbulence surrounding India’s independence and to the plight of refugees, should be in all libraries serving middle grade readers.” —School Library Journal Description It’s 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands...

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Saints & Misfits

Posted by on Feb 19, 2018 in Ages 14 and up, Muslim American, North America, Theme: #OwnVoices, Theme: Community, Theme: Cross-Group Friendship, Theme: Cultural Differences, Theme: Cultural Identity, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Identity, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Trauma, United States | Comments Off on Saints & Misfits

Saints & Misfits

Saints & Misfits By S.K. Ali Published by Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Age Range: 14+ Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N | Worldcat “This timely and authentic portrayal is an indisputable purchase in the realistic fiction category.” —School Library Journal Description There are three kinds of people in my world: 1. Saints, those special people moving the world forward. Sometimes you glaze over them. Or, at least, I do. They’re in your face so much, you can’t see them, like how you can’t see your nose. 2. Misfits, people who don’t belong....

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A Game for Swallows

Posted by on Feb 14, 2013 in Ages 13 and up, Lebanese, Lebanon, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Theme: Community, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Survival | Comments Off on A Game for Swallows

A Game for Swallows

A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return By Zeina Abirached Translated by Edward Gauvin Published by Graphic Universe “For young readers, “A Game for Swallows” will come as a revelation. At a time when the Middle East is still in turmoil and when Americans have suffered losses of electricity and other necessities during recent storms and floods, this is a story that will hit home even as it causes young, impressionable eyes to look at life abroad.” –The New York Times Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N Description When Zeina was born, the civil war in Lebanon...

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The White Zone

Posted by on Jan 11, 2013 in Ages 10 and up, Asian (Central), Iraq, Iraqi, Islamic, Muslim, Shiite, Sunni, Theme: Family Death, Theme: Family Relationships, Theme: Religious Differences, Theme: Religious Faith | Comments Off on The White Zone

The White Zone

The White Zone By Carolyn Marsden Published by Carolrhoda Books “Marsden’s detailed descriptions of everyday life make this culture come alive.” –School Library Journal “Marsden tells a story that resonates highly in today’s society where there are many different types of chaos disrupting lives and homes worldwide.” –VOYA Find a copy at Amazon | IndieBound | B&N   Description Nouri and his cousin Talib can only vaguely remember a time before tanks rumbled over the streets of their Baghdad neighborhood when books, not bombs, ruled Mutanabbi Street....

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