K-12 Teaching Resources

Happy Nowruz: Cooking with Children to Celebrate the Persian New Year
By Najmieh Batmanglij
This cookbook/cultural description has beautiful color photographs, ideas for cooking projects with children, even a cookie cutter. It’s a great resource for teaching about the Persian New Year holiday (Mar. 21), which is celebrated in several countries of western and central Asia.

At the Court of The Great King 
By Sara Otto-Diniz, Jacqueline Pinsker McCaffrey and Denise Schmandt-Besserat
Illustrated by Ellen Rogers Simmons
Courtesy of The Blanton Museum of Art
The University of Texas at Austin
An elementary level story about the art of ancient Persia. This was originally for an art exhibit at The Blanton Museum of Art in 1978. Therefore, it has some references to the exhibit but has a lot of valuable information regarding Persian history, art and culture. 

"Open Sesame" The Story of Persian Locks 
By Sara Otto-Diniz and Denise Schmandt-Besserat
Illustrated by Bonnie Jewel-Froman
Courtesy of The Blanton Museum of Art
The University of Texas at Austin
An elementary level story about the origin of Persian locks. This was originally for an art exhibit at The Blanton Museum of Art in 1976. Therefore, it has some references to the exhibit but has a lot of valuable information regarding Persian history, art and culture.

Nadia The Willful
By Sue Alexander
A story of an Arab sheikh and his daughter learning to cope with the death of a family member.

The Girl Who Lost Her Smile
By Karim Alrawi
An Arab tale of a girl who lost her smile and the people of Baghdad who help her find it.

The Blind Man and the Elephant
By Karen Backstein
A Hello Reader Level 3 adaptation of the popular story (starting in South Asia but popular in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries too).  Teacher and UA graduate student Laura Provencher developed a lesson on perspective to go with this book. 

Mirror
By Jeannie Baker
This lovely picture book compares life in two cities: one in Morocco, one in Australia.

Mystery Bottle
By Kristen Balouch
Award-winning tale of a little boy in New York who is magically transported to Iran, where his father is from.

Amina and Muhammad's Special Visitor
By Diane Turnage Burgoyne and Penny Williams Yaqub
This children's book describes family life in Saudi Arabia.  It also includes background information for teachers.

Tales Told in Tents 
By Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer
This is a collection of short stories from Central Asia.

Snow in Jerusalem
By Deborah Da Costa
An Israeli and a Palestinian boy must work together to save a stray cat that both have befriended.

The Legend of the Persian Carpet 
By Tomie Da Paola and Claire Stewart
This is a Persian folktale retold by the author of Strega Nona.

Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile 
By Tomie Da Paola
On a class field trip to Egypt, Bill and Pete not only learn a lot about ancient Egypt, but they also confront the Bad Guy.

The Hungry Coat: A Tale from Turkey
By Demi
A story about a man judged by his appearance.

Neve Shalom Wahat Al-Salam: Oasis of Peace
By Laurie and Ben Dolphin
Despite its ponderous title, it is a good book with vivid photographs. It describes the lives of two ten-year-old boys living in a community in Israel in which Jews and Palestinians live together.

Babak and Friends: A First Norooz
By Dustin Ellis and Rodd Miller
Excellent if you are doing a study of different holiday traditions, this is a 75-minute animated movie about an Iranian-American boy, Babak, learning about the Iranian holiday of Norooz (Persian New Year – which takes place in mid-March). The movie also explores the theme of growing up as an American with roots in another culture and even the issue of having a newborn sibling. The video comes with a short booklet that gives a summary.

Ramadan
By Suhaib Ghazi and Omar Rayyan
The book describes the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.

The Seagull of Galata Tower ZEYNEP
By Julia Townsend
This book offers a birds-eye view (LITERALLY) of Istanbul.

How Many Donkeys? An Arabic Counting Tale
By  Margaret Read MacDonald and Nadia Jameel Taibah
This book is a humorous folk tale, which gets children thinking about numbers and learning them in Arabic too.

Count Your Way Through The Arab World
By Jim Haskins
A beautifully illustrated counting book to help children learn numers in Arabic.

Count Your Way Through Iran
By Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson
Illustrated by Farida Zaman
A beautifully illustrated counting book to help children learn numers in Persian.

The Day of Ahmed's Secret
By Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland
A nicely written and beautifully illustrated story of a young boy in Cairo.

Celebrate Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr with Praying Fasting, and
Charity (National Geographic, “Holidays Around the World” series).
By Deborah Heiligman
Although it is at a low reading level, this book is even interesting to adults due to its great pictures and clear explanations. (It is National Geographic book, so the photography is amazing!)

Celebrating Norouz (Persian New Year)
By Yassaman Jalali
Description of the most popular Iranian holiday, Persian New Year, celebrated March 21st, the first day of Spring. 

 The Most Magnificent Mosque 
By Ann Jungman and Shelley Fowles
A beautifully illustrated book about medieval Spain and its Muslim heritage.

One Night: A Story from the Desert
By Cristina Kessler
About a Tuareg boy in the Sahara desert waiting for a goat to give birth.

 Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story 
By Hena Khan and Julie Paschkis
A seven-year-old Pakistani-American girl celebrates Ramadan.

Sound the Shofar!: A Story for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
By Leslie Kimmelman and John Himmelman
This book focuses on the high holy days of Judaism and how one family celebrates those together and by helping out the less fortunate. Nicely illustrated storybook. 

How the Camel Got its Hump
By Rudyard Kipling and Lisbeth Zwerger
This is one of a Little Golden Book’s “Tales from Around the World.”

What's the Matter, Habibi?
By Betsy Lewin
A warm and funny story of a boy and his pet camel.

The Storytellers
By Ted Lewin
A story of Abdul and his grandfather, a storyteller, set in Morocco.

Passover
By David F. Marx
This book gives religious and historical information about the Jewish Passover holiday. 

Magid Fasts for Ramadan
By Mary Mathews and E.B. Lewis
An 8-year-old Egyptian boy wants to fast like the grown-ups during the Muslim month of Ramadan.

Caravan
By Lawrence McKay Jr.
A story of a 10-year-old Uzbek boy’s first caravan trip through the mountains of Afghanistan.

The Best Eid Ever
By Asma Mobin-Uddin
It's Eid, and Aneesa should be happy. But her parents are thousands of miles away in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage. To cheer her up, her grandmother gives her a gift of beautiful clothes from Pakistan, one outfit for each of the three days of Eid. She even prepares lamb korma, Aneesa's favourite dinner, which they will enjoy when they return from prayers. At the prayer hall, Aneesa meets two sisters who are not dressed in new clothes for the holiday.Aneesa discovers that the girls are refugees. With their father, they have fled from their war-torn country. Aneesa can't stop thinking about the girls and what Eid must be like for them. That's when Aneesa comes up with a plan to help the girls celebrate Eid and make it the best Eid holiday ever.

The Rich Man and the Parrot
Retold By Suzan Nadimi
Illustrated by Ande Cook
A folktale once told by the famous thirteenth-century poet Rumi is retold again in this attractive picture book. A story about a man and his parrot who longs to be free.

Sitti's Secrets
By Naomi Shihab Nye
About a girl raised in the US who goes to visit her grandmother in a Palestinian village. 

The Hundredth Name
By Shulamith Levey Oppenheim
A story of friendship and Muslim faith set in a village in Egypt. Nicely illustrated.

Judaism ( World Beliefs and Culture)
By Sue Penney
Discover the rich cultural background behind this major world religion. Find out where Judaism originated, trace its history, and explore the meanings.

Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad 
By James Rumford
When bombs begam to fall, Ali drowns out the sould of war with a pen. Like other children living in Baghdad, Ali loves soccer, music and dancing, but most of all, he loves the ancient art of calligraphy. When bombs begin to fall on his city, Ali turns to his pen, writing sweeping and gliding words to the silent music that drowns out the war all around him. Gorgeously illustrated with collage, pencil and charcoal drawings and, of course, exquisite calligraphy, this timely and yet universal story celebrates art and history but also offers young children a way to understand all they see and hear.

Aleph-Bet Telethon
By Sesame Street
Sesame Street is fun in Hebrew and English!

Kids Sing Israel (Grouches Don't)
By Sesame Street
This is Sesame Street in Hebrew and English.

Nesma Buys the Beans 
By Andy Smart and Walid Taher
A little girl in Egypt struggles to buy beans for breakfast.

One City, Two Brothers
By Chris Smith
Illustarted by Aurelia Fronty
A tale of two brothers whose secret sharing of grain with one another results in a mystery. A good story to illustrate caring.

Four Feet, Two Sandals 
By Karen Lynn Williams
A beautiful story (also beautifully illustrated) about two Afghani girls living in a refugee camp, who each claim one sandal of a pair given out during a clothing distribution. The two decide to share the sandals and become close friends in the process.

The Librarian of Basra
By Jeanette Winter
The same story as Alia's Mission(about the woman who saves the books in the Basra Library), but this version is written for children ages 4-8. It's short, simply written, and beautifully illustrated.

Babak and Friends: A First Norooz
Excellent if you are doing a study of different holiday traditions. This is a 75-minute movie about an Iranian-American boy, Babak, learning about the Iranian holiday of Norooz (Persian New Year - which takes place on the first day of Spring). The movie also explores the theme of growing up as an American with roots in another culture and even the issue of having a newborn sibling. The video comes with a short booklet that gives a summary of the entire plot. 
DVD format. 75 minutes.

Fables of Bah ya Bah (2001)
Animated retelling of six different short fables from the Middle East.
VHS format. 60 minutes.

Just say Hic
Turkish folktale with discussion questions.
VHS format. 9 minutes.

Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman (1993)
Animated version of a Turkish folktale. A bit scary (along the lines of Hansel and Gretel.)
VHS. 14 minutes.

Kids Sing Israel (Grouches Don't) (1991)
Sesame Street in Hebrew and English.
VHS format. 38 minutes.

Happy Nowruz: Cooking with Children to Celebrate the Persian New Year
By Najmieh Batmanglij
This cookbook/cultural description has beautiful color photographs, ideas for cooking projects with children, even a cookie cutter. It's a great resource for teaching about the Persian New Year holiday (March 21st), which is celebrated in several countries of western and central Asia. 

The Islamic Year
By Noorah Al-Gailani and Chris Smith
A book of activities, crafts, and recipes that a teacher can do with children to help them understand the meaning behind Muslim holidays and traditions.

North Africa: Morocco
Stencil set of Moroccan designs with a map and explanations of Moroccan culture.

Virtual Field Trip to Turkey
By Kate Mahady
A presentation (on CD) that explores Turkey. This can be used by individual students or as a presentation for the whole class (with instructions for teachers provided).

Arab World Mosaic: A Curriculum Supplement for Elementary Teachers By Lars Rodseth, Sally Howell, Andrew Shryock
A book with a variety of lessons and activities involving literature, science (ecology and zoology), social studies, etc.

Islamic Spain
By Rosalie F. Baker and Charles F. Baker
This book has articles for kids on the history of medieval Spain.

The Genius of Islam: How Muslims Made the Modern World
By Bryn Barnard
This is a wonderfully readable book about medieval acheivements in the Muslim world.  It is divided into short sections on topics such as paper, math, band music, etc.

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Arabia
By Mary Beardwood
This detailed encyclopedia entry focuses on the geography, cultures, and, especially, the flora and fauna of the Arabian Peninsula.  With many photographs, charts, maps, figures, asides, this exhaustive and beautifully illustrated text will answer every question you never knew that you had about Arabia on subjects from pearling to fossils, migratory birds to the many uses of the date palm. The sheer breadth of information will eliminate the narrow geographic and social stereotypes so many students have about the Middle East.

Judaism
By Douglas Charing
This book provides an introduction to Jewish beliefs and traditions.

Kings and Carpenters: One Hundred Bible Land jobs You Might Have Praised or Panned
By Laurie Coulter and Mary Newbigging
This is a great introduction to archeology and an overview of jobs that existed during biblical times

Muhammad
By Vedat Dalokay
This beautifully illustrated book describes the beliefs of the Muslim religion.

 Sister Shako and Kolo the Goat: Memories of My Childhood in Turkey
By Vedat Dalokay
The author writes of his childhood in eastern Turkey.

Judaism
By DK Eyewitness Books
Discover the history, faith, and culture that have shaped the modern Jewish world. With over 50 million copies sold in 88 countries and in 36 languages, Eyewitness Books are truly the ultimate visual information encyclopedias for the 21st Century. Carrying on the tradition of integrating words and pictures, these three new titles in the Eyewitness series are timely editions to any library.

Neve Shalom Wahat Al-Salam: Oasis of Peace
By Laurie Dolphin
Despite its ponderous title, it is a good book with vivid photographs. It describes the lives of two ten-year-old boys living in a community in Israel in which Jews and Palestinians live together.

Customs of the Arabian Gulf: Drawings and Paintings by School Children in Bahrain and Dubai
By Bahia Fakhro and Ann Walcro
The book contains artwork by Arab children and descriptions of their content.

Iran: The People
By April Fast
This book describes and shows lifestyles in Iran.

Iraq: The Culture
By April Fast
This book describes and shows the culture of Iraq.

Iraq: The People
By April Fast
This book describes and shows lifestyles in Iraq.

Ramadan
By Suhaib Hamid Ghazi and Omar Rayyan
The book describes the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.

Celebrate Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr with Praying Fasting, and Charity (National Geographic, “Holidays Around the World” series)
By Deborah Heiligman
Although it is at a low reading level, this book vividly describes the customs and beliefs surrounding the Muslim month of fasting.

Celebrating Ramadan
By Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Bright color photographs help tell the story of a 4th grade Muslim boy living in New Jersey as he celebrates Ramadan.

Muslim Child: Understanding Islam through Sotires and Poems
By Rukhsana Khan
A collection of Muslim stories with sidebars explaining important terms and issues.

A 16th Century Mosque
By Fiona MacDonald and Mark Bergin
This book describes medieval architecture, culture, and religion in the 16th century Ottoman Empire.

Passover
By David F. Marx
This book gives religious and historical information about the Jewish Passover holiday. 

Foods of Iran
By Lawrence McKay Jr.
Beautiful photographs and clear prose show a lot about Iranian culture through a description of the food. There are recipes, cultural descriptions, and details about how the food is grown and sold.

Wonders of Persia
By Nazli Irani Monahan
The book describes the history of Iran from ancient times to the present.

Egypt: The Culture
By Arlene Muskovitch
This book describes and shows the culture of Egypt.

Islam
By Sue Penney
From the “Introducing Religions” series, this gives an overview of the Muslim faith.

Judaism
By Sue Penney
Discover the rich cultural background behind this major world religion. Find out where Judaism originated, trace its history, and explore the meanings.

The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust
By Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix
When the Nazis occupied Paris, no Jew was safe from arrest and deportation. Few Parisians were willing to risk their own lives to help. Yet during that perilous time, many Jews found refuge in an unlikely place--the sprawling complex of the Grand Mosque of Paris. Not just a place of worship but a community center, this hive of activity was an ideal temporary hiding place for escaped prisoners of war and Jews of all ages, especially children. Beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched.

Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354
By James Rumford
The true story of the travels of 14th century Arab explorer Ibn Battuta. Beautifully illustrated.

Foods of Iran
By Barbara Sheen
Beautiful photographs and clear prose show a lot about Iranian culture through a description of the food. There are recipes, cultural descriptions, and details about how the food is grown and sold.

The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela
By Uri Shulevits
This is an account of a Spanish Jew, who explored the Middle East and North Africa in the twelfth century (a century before Marco Polo). It's nicely illustrated and in the form of short stories, a book you could read aloud to the class.

Israel: The Culture
By Debbie Smith
This book describes and shows the culture of Israel.

Lands, Peoples, and Communities of the Middle East 
By Juanita Will Soghikian and Penny Williams Yaqub
This is an introductory work-study text.

Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq 
By Mark Alan Stamaty
A graphic novel telling the true story of a woman's struggle to save the books in the Basra library during the 2003 war in Iraq. It's a simple story, but the graphic novel style would appeal to some upper elementary and middle school readers.

Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry
By Daud Sutton
Focusing on Islamic geometric patterns, simple and complex, man-made and in nature, this book offers unique insight into Islamic culture.

The Camel Family
By John Bonnett Wexo
A book about camels from the Zoo Book series.

The Librarian of Basra
By Jeanette Winter
This is the same story as Alia’s Mission (about the woman who saves the books in the Basra library), but this version is written at a simpler reading level that can be read aloud in class.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient Middle East
By Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
A nicely illustrated book about the ancient Middle East. It provides history of the societies of the time. 

The Tomb of King Tutankhamen: Unearthing Ancient Worlds
By Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
Nicely illustrated and contains great photographs, this book gives a lot of history about King Tutankhamen as well as ancient Egypt in general.

The Butter Man
By Elizabeth Alalou and Ali Alalou
While Nora waits impatiently for dinner, her father stirs up a story from his childhood. During a famine Nora's grandfather must travel over the mountain to find work so he can provide food for his family. While young Ali waits for his father's return, he learns a lesson of patience, perseverance, and hope. Fold-art illustrations capture the Moroccan culture and landscape.

Nasreddin Hodja
By Mehmet Ali Birant
This is a collection of short (often humorous) anecdotes about an early 13th century Turkish figure. It’s as interesting for its beautiful Ottomanstyle illustrations as for the stories.  (Note: Nasreddin Hodja is called Goha in the Arab world and Mullah Nasreddin in the Persian world.  The stories are beloved classics in the entire region.)

Amina and Muhammad's Special Visitor
By Diane Turnage Burgoyne and Penny Williams Yaqub
This children's book describes family life in Saudi Arabia.  It also includes background information for teachers.  

A Stone in My Hand
By Cathryn Clinton
An 11-year-old Palestinian girl has to deal with her father's disappearance in Israel and her 12-year-old brother's desire for revenge.

Tales Told in Tents
By Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer
This is a collection of short stories from Central Asia.

Extra Credit
By Andrew Clements
Abby Carson, a bright but unmotivated student, is about to be left behind in the sixth grade.  To avoid this fate, she agrees to an extra credit assignment involving writing to a pen pal in post-Taliban Afghanistan. 

The Hungry Coat: A Tale from Turkey
By Demi
 A man is judged by his appearance.

Tales from Ancient Egypt 
By George Hart
This is a short, nicely illustrated book of ancient Egyptian folk tales.

The House of Wisdom
By Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland
 This is a beautifully illustrated story of a boy’s life in 9th century Baghdad.

Sami and the Time of the Troubles
By Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland
 This haunting and beautifully illustrated story tells of a 10-year-old boy during the fighting in Beirut, Lebanon.

Lugalbanda, The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War
By Kathy Henderson
 This book retellis a five thousand-year-old story from ancient Sumer (now Iraq). T

Folk Tales of Egypt
By Denys Johnson-Davies and Tarek Mossad
This is a book of folk tales from Egypt.

Goha
By Denys Johnson-Davies
This is a brief, illustrated book of Arab folk tales.  (Note: Goha is called Nasreddin Hodja in the Turkish world.  The stories are beloved classics in the entire region.)

Goha, the Wise Fool
By Denys Johnson-Davies and Hag Hamdy Hany
This is a brief, illustrated book of Arab folk tales.  (Note: Goha is called Nasreddin Hodja in the Turkish world.  The stories are beloved classics in the entire region.)

The Most Magnificent Mosque
By Anne Jungman and Shelley Fowles 
A beautifully illustrated book about medieval Spain and its Muslim heritage.

The Storytellers
By Ted Lewin
The book, set in Morocco, introduces us to Abdul and his grandfather, a storyteller.

Magid Fasts for Ramadan
By Mary Mathews
About an 8-year-old Egyptian boy who wants to fast like the grown-ups during the Muslim month of Ramadan.

The Best Eid Ever
By Asma Mobin-Uddin
A girl tries to enjoy celebrating an important Muslim holiday despite the fact that her parents are away.  She meets up with two refugee girls and discovers the joy of giving. 

The Hundredth Name
By Shulamith Levey Oppenheim and Michael Hays
This nicely illustrated story tells of friendship and Muslim faith set in a village in Egypt. 

Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad 
By James Rumford
When bombs begam to fall, Ali drowns out the sould of war with a pen. Like other children living in Baghdad, Ali loves soccer, music and dancing, but most of all, he loves the ancient art of calligraphy. When bombs begin to fall on his city, Ali turns to his pen, writing sweeping and gliding words to the silent music that drowns out the war all around him. Gorgeously illustrated with collage, pencil and charcoal drawings and, of course, exquisite calligraphy, this timely and yet universal story celebrates art and history but also offers young children a way to understand all they see and hear on the news.

Abuelita's Secret Matzahs
By Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
A boy learns the truth about why his family does things differently from his friends when he discovers that he is of Jewish heritage. He learnes the history of how his family escaped from Spain to the "new world" and keep their identity hidden. This book is about heritage and acceptance of who you are. 

Zeynep, the Seagull of Galata Tower
By Julia Townsend
This book offers a birds-eye view (LITERALLY) of Istanbul.

Watermelons, Walnuts and the Wisdom of Allah and Other Tales of the
Hoca
By Barbara Walker
This book is collection of Turkish tales about the legendary Nasreddin Hoca (called Goha in Arabic). The book has short, humorous stories with illustrations.

Four Feet, Two Sandals
By Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed
When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each to wear only one.As the girls go about their routines -- washing clothes in the river, waiting in long lines for water, and watching for their names to appear on the list to go to America -- the sandals remind them that friendship is what is most important. Four Feet, Two Sandals was inspired by a refugee girl who asked the authors why there were no books about children like her. With warm colors and sensitive brush strokes, this book portrays the strength, courage, and hope of refugees around the world, whose daily existence is marked by uncertainty and fear.

Fables of Bah ya Bah (2001)
Animated retelling of six different short fables from the Middle East.
VHS format. 60 minutes.

Just say Hic
Turkish folktale with discussion questions.
VHS format. 9 minutes.

Cyprus and Turkey: Conflict Resolution Curriculum
A lesson – on CD – developed by a middle school teacher on a CMES-sponsored Teach Cyprus program. Includes a simulation for students, who work to resolve some of the issues surrounding the Greek-Turkish conflict over Cyprus.

Introduction (to the Arab World) 
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, lessons, artifacts
(including headgear) to teach about the Arabs and their culture.

The Islamic Year
By Noorah Al-Gailani and Chris Smith
A book of activities, crafts, and recipes that a teacher can do with children to help them understand the meaning behind Muslim holidays and traditions.

Music and Dance Unit 
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, pictures, cassette, and explanations of Arab music and instruments. The unit itself is designed for a higher level (maybe high school), but it can be easily adapted for a Middle School classroom.

North Africa: Morocco
Stencil set of Moroccan designs with a map and explanations of Moroccan culture.

Persepolis Recreated
An amazing photo/picture book and DVD set that recreates the ancient Persian city of Persepolis, one of the greatest cities of the ancient world until it was burned by Alexander the Great. It would give students a feel for the glories of an ancient civilization while countering some of the negative (and totally false) images in the movie “The 300” of the Persians as barbaric and subhuman.

Fun with Hieroglyphs
By Catharine Roehrig
Art kit put out by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a set of alphabet stamps for the Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabet with a book of explanations.

Silk Road Encounters
Teachers’ guide, sourcebook, CD of lesson plans and other materials to help your students explore the Silk Road.

Storytelling and Games Unit 
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides and game cards teach about and give the rules for Arab games.

Festivals of Egypt
By Jailan Abbas
 This book describes the different holidays celebrated in Egypt.

Al-Kindi: The Father of Arab Philosophy
By Tony Abboud
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Suleyman and the Ottoman Empire
By John Addison
This is brief overview of the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent along with a series of short, primary source documents.

Afghanistan: The Land
By Erinn Banting
This book contains photos and descriptions of Afghanistan.

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Arabia
By Mary Beardwood
This detailed encyclopedia entry focuses on the geography, cultures, and, especially, the flora and fauna of the Arabian Peninsula.  With many photographs, charts, maps, figures, asides, this exhaustive and beautifully illustrated text will answer every question you never knew that you had about Arabia on subjects from pearling to fossils, migratory birds to the many uses of the date palm. The sheer breadth of information will eliminate the narrow geographic and social stereotypes so many students have about the Middle East.

Al-Khwarizmi: The Inventor of Algebra
By Corona Brezina
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Judaism
By DK Eyewitness Books
Discover the history, faith, and culture that have shaped the modern Jewish world. With over 50 million copies sold in 88 countries and in 36 languages, Eyewitness Books are truly the ultimate visual information encyclopedias for the 21st Century. Carrying on the tradition of integrating words and pictures, these three new titles in the Eyewitness series are timely editions to any library.

Egypt and the Middle East
By Daniel De Bruycker and Maximilien Dauber
Beautifully illustrated with cartoons and photographs and easy to reference (question and answer format), this book would be easy for students to use in learning about the basic history of the Middle East.

Muhammad and the Arab Empire
By John Duckworth
This gives a brief overview of the rise of Islam along with a series of short, primary source documents.

Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees
By Deborah Ellis
This book provides an oppurtunity for students to read interviews with Iraqi refugee children and see how the war has affected their lives.

Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
By Deborah Ellis
This is a collection of accounts of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by children ages 8-18.

Celebrate Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr with Praying Fasting, and
Charity (National Geographic, “Holidays Around the World” series)
By Deborah Heiligman
Although it is at a low reading level, this book is even interesting to adults due to its great pictures and clear explanations. (It is National Geographic book, so the photography is amazing!)

Holy Cities: Jerusalem and Holy Cities: Mecca
Maps, photos, and descriptions of each of these two religious centers.

Understanding Islam and the Muslims 
By Islamic Affairs Department of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia
An introduction to Islam in a brief booklet with bright photographs.

The Iranian Revolution 
By Brendan January
This book is part of the Pivotal Moments That Changed the World series, focusing on the Iranian revolution of 1979. Instead of succumbing to the "clash of civilizations" argument, it delves into the deeper causes of the Iranian revolution, and brings the story forward to describe how the forces that triggered the revolution continue to play out in the troubled relationship between the United States and Iran today.  This book is a welcome entry to the corpus of research literature for younger people.

Avicenna (Ibn Sinna): Muslim Physician and Philosopher of the 11th Century
By Aishe Khan
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Oil in the Middle East
By John King
This book contains beautiful photos and well-written narrative about modern diplomatic and political developments in the Middle East.

Iraq
By Dale Lightfoot
One of the Modern World Issues series. The book gives an overview of Iraq’s geography, history, government, and economy. Colorful pictures and maps make it student-friendly.

Mosque
By David Macaulay
If you liked his books/films about the building of a medieval cathedral or fortress, you’ll like this one about the construction of a 16th century Ottoman mosque.

Inside Story: A 16th Century Mosque
By Fiona MacDonald and Mark Bergin
Detailed illustrations and clear explanations make this a terrific resource book with information about the building, religious background, and history surrounding the construction of a mosque.

Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World
By Natalie Maydell and Sep Riahi
This book, introduces readers to 13 Muslim women in history who have lived extraordinary lives and influenced their communities in a positive way, often overcoming extreme hardship and inaccurate stereotypes that have been placed on the role of women in Islam. In addition to showing the impact these women have had throughout the years, Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World seeks to make a difference in the lives of Islamic women today, inspiring them to fervently pursue their goals. All proceeds from the special edition hardback series will be donated to Islamic Relief to benefit the women and children of Sudan.

The Arabs in the Golden Age
By Mokhtar Moktefi and Veronique Ageorges
Nicely illustrated, easy-to-reference account of Arab history.

The Arab-Americans
By Alixa Naff
This book describes the experiences and contributions of Arab-Americans.

Islam
By Sue Penney
From the “Introducing Religions” series, this gives an overview of the Muslim faith.

Judaism
By Sue Penney
Discover the rich cultural background behind this major world religion. Find out where Judaism originated, trace its history, and explore the meanings. 

Jerusalem
By Saviour Pirotta
From the Holy Cities series, this is a basic introduction to the city of Jerusalem.

Albucasis (Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi): Renouned Muslim Surgeon of the 10th Century
By Fred Ramen
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews during the Holocaust                                                   By Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix
When the Nazis occupied Paris, no Jew was safe from arrest and deportation. Few Parisians were willing to risk their own lives to help. Yet during that perilous time, many Jews found refuge in an unlikely place--the sprawling complex of the Grand Mosque of Paris. Not just a place of worship but a community center, this hive of activity was an ideal temporary hiding place for escaped prisoners of war and Jews of all ages, especially children. Beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched.

Historical Atlas of Islam
By Malise Ruthven and Azim Nanji

Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354 
By James Rumford
The true story of the travels of 14th century Arab explorer Ibn Battuta. Beautifully illustrated.

Al-Biruni: Master Astronomer and Muslim Scholar of the 11th Century
By Bill Scheppler
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Foods of Iran
By Barbara Sheen
Beautiful photographs and clear prose show a lot about Iranian culture through a description of the food. There are recipes, cultural descriptions, and details about how the food is grown and sold.

The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela
By Uri Shulevits
A fictionalized account of a Spanish Jew, who explored the Middle East and North Africa in the twelfth century (a century before Marco Polo). It’s nicely illustrated and in the form of short stories, a book you could read aloud to the class.

Mesopotamia
By Jane Shuter
This is a beautifully illustrated, well organized short book about Mesopotamia from the “Excavating the Past” series.

Guru Nanak
By Rina Singh and Andree Pouliot
This beautifully illustrated book describes the life and teachings of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion.

Averroes (Ibn Rushd): Muslim Scholar, Philosopher, and Physician of the 12th Century 
By Liz Sonneborn
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry
By Daud Sutton
Focusing on Islamic geometric patterns, simple and complex, man-made and in nature, this book offers unique insight into Islamic culture.

Turkish Customs and Traditions
By Turgay Tuna
This book describes the traditions of Turkey.

Seven Wonders of the Ancient Middle East
By Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
A nicely illustrated book about the ancient Middle East. It provides history of the societies of the time. 

The Tomb of King Tutankhamen: Unearthing Ancient Worlds
By Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
Nicely illustrated and contains great photographs, this book gives a lot of history about King Tutankhamen as well as ancient Egypt in general.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict 
By Richard Worth
An Open for Debate book which shows the main issues for both Palestinians and Israelis. Grades 7 and up.

Art and the Islamic World 
VHS format.

Ayasofia 
This documentary shows the art and architecture of the famous Byzantine cathedral, Hagia Sophia.
 VHS format. 

Children of Heaven 
This Iranian film, in Persian with English subtitles, is a sweet story about two Iranian children from a lower middle class family who are struggling to keep their beleagered parents from finding out that the boy has lost his sister's only pair of shoes.
DVD format.

Circle within the Square
This documentary is about the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and his legacy.
VHS format.

Crusades: The Four Volumes (1995)
VHS format. 50 min. each - 4 videotapes.

“Egypt: Mummy Autopsy,” “Egypt: Mysterious Death of Cleopatra,” “Egypt: Pharaoh’s Revenge,” “Egypt: Ramses,” “Egypt: The Sphinx.” 
Various Discovery Channel specials. 
DVD format. 60 minutes each.

Families of Afghanistan
This film explores the family lives of two Afghani children: one from a rural area, one from a city. 
DVD format. 30 min.

Families of Egypt
This film explores the family lives of two Egyptian children: one from a rural area, one from a city. 
DVD format. 30 min.

Families of Egypt
This film explores the family lives of two Israeli children: one from a rural area, one from a city. 
DVD format. 30 min.

The Glories of Islamic Art
This is made up of three 45-minute videos with beautiful cinematography and descriptions of the place of art within the Muslim tradition.  Part 1: The Umayyads and Their Capital Damascus,”  Part 2: “The Ottomans and Their Capital Istanbul,”  Part 3: “Two Islamic Regimes in Cairo.”
VHS format.  

I Will Not Be Sad in This World (2001).
Portrait of a 94-year-old Armenian woman’s life from the genocide through her childhood in a Lebanese orphanage through her life in America.
VHS and DVD formats.  56 min.

Inside Mecca
A National Geographic special about the Muslim pilgrimage and its rituals.
60 minutes.

Persian Rug: Home Is Where the Carpet Is
This documentary is about the making and meaning of Persian carpets.
VHS format.

Santa Claus in Baghdad (2008)
A beautiful short fictional story that can be compared with “The Gift of the Magi,” the movie based on Ella Marston's short story describes  Iraqis living during the bleak time of international sanctions just before the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.  
DVD format. 38 min.

Secrets of Lost Empires: Pyramid (2007)
A Nova special, this film combines a documentary approach with an animated historical fiction story to tell of the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza. 
VHS format. 60 min.

A Team for Peace
A group of preadolescent soccer players, half of themPalestinian, half of them Israeli, are put together to play on an all-star team tocompete in an international youth soccer tournament. 
DVD format. 45 min.

Topkapi Palace: General Outlines
This documentary describes the art and architecture of this magnificent Ottoman palace.  
VHS format.

Young Voices from the Arab World: The Lives and Times of Five Teenagers (1998)
About everyday life in Arab society told through the eyes of five young people from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, and Morocco. (Note: A teachers’guide/resource book comes with it.)
VHS format. 30 minutes.

The Tales of Nasreddin Hodja Storycards
By Raymond C. Clark.
A set of 40 storycards (one page or less), which can be used as an icebreaker (pairs activity) or a language arts activity to build skills in storytelling and narration. The set comes with a booklet of suggestions on how to use them.

Young Voices from the Arab World: The Lives and Times of Five Teenagers
This is a 30-minute video with a detailed teachers’ guide/resource book. The grade level is 5-8.

The Son of a Duck Is a Floater
By Primrose Arnander, Ashkhain Skipwith, and Kathryn Lamb
The book contains Arab sayings with English equivalents.

Tasting the Sky
By Itbisam Barakat
 This is a beautifully written book about her childhood as a Palestinian refugee. Young people can relate to her vivid tale of youth, family relationships, and overcoming adversity.

The Little Black Fish
By Samad Behrangi
An Iranian short story, made to be read aloud. It has many different levels of meaning - about breaking out of one’s narrow environment and learning about the wider world Even more interesting is the fact that the author, a school teacher might have been murdered in 1968 at the age of 29 by the shah’s secret police because of the way he encouraged his elementary school students to think freely and look at the social problems of their country. This small book also is written half in Persian, so kids can see what the language looks like and how the cover of a Middle Eastern book is the back of an American one (since they write from right to left).

If You Could Be My Friend 
Ed. by Litsa Boudalika
Two teenagers, Mervet Akram Sha’ban and Galit Fink, one Palestinian and one Israeli teenager, corresponded with each other for three years when “introduced” by a Belgian film director, producing a documentary in Israel.

Samir and Yonatan
By Daniella Carmi
A Palestinian and an Israeli boy meet in a hospital.

A Stone in My Hand
By Cathryn Clinton
A story of an 11-year-old Palestinian girl who has to deal with her father’s disappearance in Israel and her 12-year-old brother’s desire for revenge.

Extra Credit
By Andrew Clements
Abby Carson is a sixth grade student in rural Illinois whose head is everywhere but her schoolwork. In order to be spared the embarrassment of being left behind a grade, she agrees to an extra credit assignment involving writing to a pen pal in another country and so she meets Sadeed Bayat and his sister Meriem in rural Afghanistan.  As their friendship flourishes, problems arise on both sides. This is an appealing book with complex Afghan characters, providing a nuanced view even for younger readers.

Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs. 
By Sarah Conover and Freda Crane
“A treasury of Islamic wisdom for children and parents,”the book contains pictures, folk tales, Quran readings, and poems from the Muslim world.   

Sister Shako and Kolo the Goat: Memories of My Childhood in Turkey
By Vedat Dalokay
The author writes of his childhood in eastern Turkey.

The Illustrator's Notebook
By Mohieddin Ellabbad
The book is an award-winning autobiography (with photographs and drawings) of an Egyptian illustrator focusing on his art and how art is connected with his personal experience and the broader context of Egypt’s history.  Low reading level.

The Breadwinner
By Deborah Ellis
This book is about an 11-year-old girl in Afghanistan under the Taliban who has to disguise herself as a boy to support her family.  (See the sequel - Parvana's Journey - below.)

Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees
By Deborah Ellis
This book provides an opportunity for students to read interviews with Iraqi refugee children and see how the war has affected their lives.

Parvana’s Journey 
By Debora Ellis
A sequel to The Breadwinner, 12-year-old Parvana, separated from her family, sets off looking for them in war-torn Afghanistan during the time of the Taliban.

Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
By Debora Ellis
A collection of accounts of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by children ages 8-18. 

Tales from Ancient Egypt 
By George Hart
This is a short, nicely illustrated book of ancient Egyptian folk tales.

Lugalbanda, the Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War 
By Kathy Henderson and Jane Ray
This book retells a five thousand-year-old story from ancient Sumer (now Iraq).

A Little Piece of Ground
By Elizabeth Laird
Award-winning novel about a 12-year-old Palestinian boy and his efforts to find a place to play soccer.

Figs and Fate
By Elsa Marston
This is a wonderful collection of short stories about teens growing up in the Arab world.   

Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World 
By Elsa Marston
This is a wonderful collection of short stories.  (The title story, “Santa Claus in Baghdad," can be compared with “The Gift of the Magi."  Be sure to see the film made from the former story - below.)  

Dawn and Dusk
By Alice Mead
A story of a 13-year-old Kurdish boy during the time of the Iran-Iraq War (and the Iraqi poison gas attack on some Kurdish villages).

Habibi
By Naomi Shihab Nye
 A  girl, Liyana, moves with her family to Palestine, a place that Liyana has never seen. Her friendship with Omer, a Jewish boy, helps her adjustment to a strange land, but the friendship is forbidden in a land torn by conflict.

The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews during the Holocaust 
By Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix
When the Nazis occupied Paris, no Jew was safe from arrest and deportation. Yet during that perilous time, many Jews found refuge in an unlikely place--the sprawling complex of the Grand Mosque of Paris.  This beautifully illustrated and well-researched book tells the stories of that time.

A Hand Full of Stars
By Rafik Schami
About a Syrian teenager’s encounter with censorship. “If you tell the truth in Syria, you must pay with your life.” (grade 7 and up)

Shooting Kabul
By N.H. Senzai
An 11-year-old Afghani boy struggles to adjust to life in the U.S. - and tries to continue the search for his missing younger sister - after fleeing his war-torn country.  

Alia’s Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq
By Mark Alan Stamaty
A graphic novel telling the true story of a woman’s struggle to save the books in the Basra library during the 2003 war in Iraq. It’s a simple story, but the graphic novel style would appeal to some upper elementary and middle school readers.

Watermelons, Walnuts and the Wisdom of Allah and Other Tales of the Hoca 
By Barbara Walker and Herold Berson
A collection of Turkish tales about the legendary Nasreddin Hoca, the book has short, humorous stories with illustrations. (You can use this with the story cards in the Resource section above.)

Children of Heaven
This Iranian film, in Persian with English subtitles, is a sweet story about two Iranian children from a lower middle class family who are struggling to keep their beleagered parents from finding out that the boy has lost his sister's only pair of shoes.   
DVD format.

Santa Claus in Baghdad
This is a beautiful short fictional story that can be compared with “The Gift of the Magi.”  Iraqis living during the bleak time of international sanctions just before the overthrow of Saddam Hussein try to find gifts for people that they love. (Note: The story can be found in the collection of short stories by Elsa Marston in the Book section above.) 
DVD format. 35 minutes.

Country Themed Culture Kits 

Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country. 

• Treasury of Turkish Designs: 670 Motifs from Iznik Pottery By Azade Akar
  • A book of designs that can be used in art projects.
• Music and Dance Unit 
  • This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, pictures, cassette, and explanations of Arab music and instruments. The unit itself is designed for a higher level (maybe high school), but it can be easily adapted for a Middle School classroom.

Books

• Picturing Iran: Art, Society and Revolution by Shiva Balaghi and Lynn Gumpert, eds.
  • A book showing modern Iranian visual culture of the 1960s and 1970s (just before and during the revolution). Some of the posters shown in the book would be useful in helping your students to understand the reasons behind the revolution.
• The Illustrator’s Notebook by Mohieddin Ellabbad
  • Award-winning autobiography (with photographs and drawings) of an Egyptian illustrator focusing on his art and how art is connected with his personal experience and the broader context of Egypt’s history. Low reading level. 
• Mosque by Daud Macaulay
  • The book describes the construction of a 16th century Ottoman mosque.
• Islamic Design: A Genius for Geometry by Daud Sutton
  • Focusing on Islamic geometric patterns, simple and complex, man-made and in nature, this book offers unique insight into Islamic culture.
• Venice and the Islamic World, 828-1797
  • A beautiful book put out by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It shows the cultural contacts between Venice and the Ottoman Empire.

Multimedia

• Art and the Islamic World
  • VHS format. 32 minutes
• Ayasophia (1991)
  • About the art and architecture of the famous Byzantine cathedral, Hagia Sophia.
  • VHS format
• Circle within the Square
  • History of the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan and his legacy. 
  • VHS format. 52 minutes
• The Glories of Islamic Art
  • Three 45-minute videos with beautiful cinematography and descriptions of the place of art within the Muslim tradition. Part 1: The Umayyads and Their Capital Damascus,” Part 2: “The Ottomans and Their Capital Istanbul,” Part 3: “Two Islamic Regimes in Cairo.”
  • VHS format.
• Maxx
  • An Iranian film, in Persian with English subtitles, is a musical comedy about a rap musician from the U.S., who is accidentally invited to Iran….
  • DVD format. 110 min.
• Persian Rug: Home Is Where the Carpet Is ( 1998)
  • Documentary on the making and meaning of Persian carpets. 
  • VHS format. 30 minutes
• Topkapi Palace: General Outlines (1991)
  • Description of the art and architecture of this magnificent Ottoman palace. 
  • VHS format.
• The Traditional World of Islam: Part 4 – The Pattern of Beauty
  • About Muslim art. 
  •  VHS format. 25 min.
• UCSB Middle East Ensemble Concert
• A musical concert. VHS format.
•  Um Kulthum: A Voice Like Egypt (1996)
  • Documentary of the famous Egyptian singer. VHS format. 67 minutes.
• Whose Is This Song?
  • An anthropologist traces a popular Middle Eastern/Balkan folk song throughout Turkey and the Balkans, exploring the different instruments, meanings, and political implications.
  • DVD format

Online

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has free teacher materials/exhibits on Islamic art, ancient Egyptian art,and others.

Country Themed Culture Kits 

Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country. 

Promises
A book of lesson plans and supplementary materials. If you read one of the non-fiction memoirs (listed below) by Palestinian or Israeli writers, you may want to use this video/lesson set, a documentary that follows seven Palestinian and Israeli children over a four-year period of time. It portrays their lives, hopes, and contacts with each other.
VHS or DVD format. 106 minutes

Fiction Books

Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah
An Australian teenager of Lebanese descent struggles to reconcile her conflicting identities.  **Combine this with the film "Muslims: An In-Depth Look at What It Means To Be a Muslim in the 21st Century" in the Multi-Media section below.  

Year of the Elephant by Leila Abouzeid
The Moroccan struggle for independence is seen through the eyes of a working-class woman.

The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric
This internationally-acclaimed Bosnian novel describes (as a series of short stories set in different time periods) a small town in Bosnia during the years of Ottoman rule.  A teacher can easily use one or two stories, rather than the whole novel. 

Forgotten Fire by Adam Bagdasarian
Although the book is a work of fiction, it is based on the true experiences of the author's great-uncle, who was a teenager during the Armenian genocide. 

The Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi
An Iranian short story, made to be read aloud. It has many different levels of meaning - about breaking out of one’s narrow environment and learning about the wider world Even more interesting is the fact that the author, a school teacher might have been murdered in 1968 at the age of 29 by the shah’s secret police because of the way he encouraged his elementary school students to think freely and look at the social problems of their country. This small book also is written half in Persian, so kids can see what the language looks like and how the cover of a Middle Eastern book is the back of an American one (since they write from right to left).

Nasreddin Hodja by Mehmet Ali Birant
A collection of short (often humorous) anecdotes about an early 13th century Turkish figure. It’s as interesting for its beautiful Ottomanstyle illustrations as for the stories.

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
A novel about a book expert,who is offered a job to analyze and preserve the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, which had been rescued during the Bosnian war. When the expert, Hanna, discovers a series of tiny artifacts in its ancient binding—an insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair—she begins to unlock the book’s mysteries. The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric past, tracing the book’s journey from its salvation back to its creation. Inspired by a true story.  **Note: You can also check out our replica of the Sarajevo Haggadah to show your class.  It comes with a booklet explaining the artwork and historical significance.  (See the Special Books section below.) 

Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees by Deborah Ellis
This book provides an oppurtunity for students to read interviews with Iraqi refugee children and see how the war has affected their lives.

The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf
A novel about a Muslim girl growing up and entering adulthood in Indiana, “exploring the fault lines between ‘Muslim’ and ‘American.’”

Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan
An Afghani girl struggles to make a life in post-Taliban Afghanistan.   

A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird
Award-winning novel about a 12-year-old Palestinian boy and his efforts to find a place to play soccer.

The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain by Melanie Little
A young adult novel set in 14th-century Spain, tells the story of a family with a secret at a time when the Inquisition brings intolerance and torture. Written in elegant free verse this is a dramatic story set in a troubling time.

Fountain and Tomb by Naguib Mahfouz
A short novel by an Egyptian Nobel prizewinning author. The book describes a neighborhood in Cairo in the 1920’s.

Voices from the Other World by Naguib Mahfouz
A collection of ancient Egyptian short stories retold by an Egyptian Nobel prize-winning author.

On the Other Side of Mount Ararat: The Story of a Vanished City by Mariam Manoukian and Elize Manoukian
A girl grows up in the last days of the Ottoman Empire and experiences the Armenian genocide.

Figs and Fate by Elsa Marston
A collection of short stories about teenagers growing up in the Arab world today.

Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World by Elsa Marston
A wonderful collection of short stories.  The title story, “Santa Claus in Baghdad,” can be compared with “The Gift of the Magi.”  ***See the wonderful film made from the former story in the Multi-media section below.   

Dawn and Dusk by Alice Mead
A story of a 13-year-old Kurdish boy during the time of the Iran-Iraq War (and the Iraqi poison gas attack on some Kurdish villages).

Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan
In this graphic novel, a young Israeli man searches for his father, who may or may not have been killed in a suicide bombing attack.

The Feminine Art by Weam Namou
Set in the U.S. and Iraq in the early 1990s, the book deals with issues of love, arranged marriages, and the search for happiness.

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye
About a girl, Liyana, whose father decides to return to Palestine, a place that Liyana has never seen. Her friendship with Omer, a Jewish boy, helps her adjustment to a strange land, but the friendship is forbidden in a land torn by conflict.

My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk
A non-traditional mystery set in the 15th century Ottoman Empire. The author is a famous Turkish writer.

A Hand Full of Stars by Rafik Schami
About a Syrian teenager’s encounter with censorship. “If you tell the truth in Syria, you must pay with your life.” (grade 7 and up)

The Art of the Turkish Tale by Barbara K. Walker and Helen Siegl
This is a collection of Turkish literature.

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea  by Valérie Zenatti
Inspired by a true story, A Bottle in the Gaza Sea is the story of Tal Levine, an Israeli teenager who longs to strike up a correspondence with "someone on the other side."  She convinces her brother, who is serving in the Israel Defense Forces along the Gaza border, to throw a bottle containing a message into the Gaza Sea in the hopes that someone will pick it up and respond. In this way, she meets "Gazaman," a sarcastic Palestinian who, at first, only mocks her.  As their correspondence continues, however, their casual e-mail exchange turns into something deeper.  This "letter in a bottle" tale for the Web 2.0 generation does not shy away from deeper issues, especially in the wake of tragedies that afflict both Tal and Gazaman along the way.  

Personal Accounts

Return to Childhood: The Memoir of a Modern Moroccan Woman by Leila Abouzeid
This is the memoir  of a woman growing up during the time of Morocco's struggle for independence.

Thura's Diary by Thura Al-Windawi
A girl describes her life in Iraq during the 2003 U.S. military action.

Tasting the Sky by Itbisam Barakat
A beautifully written book about her childhood as a Palestinian refugee. Young people can relate to her vivid tale of youth, family relationships, and overcoming adversity.

If You Could Be My Friend edited by Litsa Boudalika
Two teenagers, Mervet Akram Sha’ban and Galit Fink, one Palestinian and one Israeli teenager, corresponded with each other for three years when “introduced” by a Belgian film director, producing a documentary in Israel.

The Illustrator's Notebook by Mohieddin Ellabbad
This book (with a rather low reading level) is an award-winning autobiography with photographs and drawings of an Egyptian illustrator focusing on his art and how art is connected with his personal experience and the broader context of Egypt’s history.  

Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak by Debora Ellis
A collection of accounts of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by children ages 8-18. 

How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden
This graphic "novel" is an account of the Jewish author's "birthright" tour of Israel and her attempt to understand the complex history of the nation.

Encounters with the Middle East: True Stories of People and Culture That Help You Understand the Region by Nesreen Khashan and Jim Bowman
The book contains different (and readable) stories about Westerners' encounters with the Middle East.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Greg Mortenson tells of his travels in rural  Pakistan and Afghanistan and his struggle to build schools for girls.

We Just Want to Live Here by Amal Rifa’i and Odelia Ainbinder
A Palestinian and an Israeli teenager, who met in an exchange program overseas, write to each other about their lives and the tragic conflict in their country.

Persepolis and Perselopis II by Marjane Satrapi
The two-volume memoir in graphic novel style describes the author’s childhood during the Iranian Revolution, her schooling abroad during the Iran-Iraq War, and eventual return to her homeland.  **See the acclaimed animated film version (in the Multi-Media section below).

Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
A graphic novel based on the true story of a group of lions that escaped from the Baghdad zoo during the American bombing in 2003. It asks questions about liberty, whether it can be given or must be earned, whether it is better to die free or live in captivity.

When I Was a Soldier by Valerie Zenatti
Memoir of a teenage Israeli girl serving her required two years in the military.

Poetry

The Son of a Duck is a Floater
By Primrose Arnander, Ashkhain Skipwith, and Kathryn Lamb
This book contains Arabic traditional sayings with English equivalents.

Emails from Scheherazade
By Mohja Kahf
The poems in this book describe Arab immigrants to America and their experiences.

Ismailia Eclipse
By Khaled Mattawa
This collection of poems is by a Libyan-American writer.

The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East
By Naomi Shihab Nye
A collection of poems from Palestine, Israel, Iraq, Egypt, and other parts of the Middle East.

Nineteen Varieties of Gazelle
By Naomi Shihab Nye
A collection of poems by a Palestinian-American poet.

The Space Between Our Footsteps 
By Naomi Shihab Nye
An anthology of over 100 poets and artists from 19 Middle Eastern countries.

Special Books

The Essential Koran 
Ed. and Translated by Thomas Cleary
This is an introductory selection of readings from the Muslim holy book.

The Sarajevo Haggadah 
This is a lovely reproduction of a 14th century Jewish book brought to Bosnia by Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition.  The book comes with a booklet explaining its colorful history and artwork, but it can also be used with Geraldine Brooks' fictional account: "People of the Book."  (See Fiction section above.)  

The Soul of the Text: An Anthology of Jewish Literature 
This includes selections of literature from the Bible and medieval commentaries, rabbinical literature, Yiddish literature, and the Holocaust. 

Refernece Books for Teachers

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
By Jack G.Shaheen
If you are doing a lesson on propaganda or on different points of view, this thick reference book will give you plenty of food for thought.

The Art of the Turkish Tale
By Barbara K. Walker
About the art of storytelling and Turkish literature.

Multimedia

Arabian Nights (1999)
A vivid but long Hollywood production of the classic literary work. A teacher could use parts of this to give the students a sense of the story. 
VHS format. 175 minutes.

Independent Media in a Time of War
This Democracy Now! video criticizes U.S. media coverage of the Iraq war. VHS format. 29 minutes.

Muslims: An In-Depth Look at What It Means to Be a Muslim in the 21st Century
This Frontline film describes the lives of Muslims in a post-9/11 world.
DVD format.

Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land (2004)
This film explores the effect of U.S. foreign policy on our media coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. 
VHS format. 80 minutes.

Persepolis
This award-winning animated film is the story of the author's childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood in Iran just before, during, and after the Iranian Revolution and Iran-Iraq War. It is in French with English subtitles. (Note that there is a brief sexual encounter in the story - but it is animated, not live-action.
DVD format.

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
If you are doing a lesson on propaganda or on different points of view, this DVD is wonderful. Be sure you preview it in advance to be sure some of the film clips aren’t too violent for your school’s regulations. 
DVD format. 50 minutes.

Santa Claus in Baghdad
A beautiful short fictional story that can be compared with “The Gift of the Magi.”  Iraqis living during the bleak time of international sanctions just before the overthrow of Saddam Hussein try to find gifts for people that they love. (Note: The story can be found in the collection of short stories by Elsa Marston.)
DVD format. 35 minutes.

Books

Return to Childhood: The Memoir of a Modern Moroccan Woman
By Leila Abouzeid 
This is the memoir  of a woman growing up during the time of Morocco's struggle for independence.

Year of the Elephant
By Leila Abouzeid 
This is a fictional account of the Moroccan struggle for independence as seen through the eyes of a working-class woman.

The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews during the Holocaust
By Karen Gray Ruelle and Deborah Durland DeSaix 
Although this looks like a picture book, it's a well-researched, amazing Holocaust story of the rescue of Jews at the Grand Mosque in Paris.  There also is a description of an Algerian group within the French resistance.

Multimedia

Among the RIghteous: Lost Stories from the Holocaust in Arab Lands
This PBS documentary describes how North African Arabs helped Jews during the Holocaust.
 DVD format. 

Battle of Algiers (1996)
In French with English subtitles. 
VHS format. 125 minutes.

Arab Americans in Arizona: Stories, Traditions, Experiences
A resource book with everything from recipes to crafts to an introduction to Arabic proverbs and language. Students might also be fascinated by the list of famous Arab-Americans (people like singer Paula Abdul, teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe, NFL players like Doug Flutie, consumer activist Ralph Nader, etc.).

Arabs in America Unit
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, information, and suggestion for projects to help students learn more about the Arab-American community in the United States.

Conflict in Iraq: Searching for Solutions
The Choices Program
Produced by the Watson Institute for International Studies
Conflict in Iraq: Search for Solutions draws students into the policy debate on the role of the United States in Iraq. Readings and activities provide students with an overview of the history of Iraq, help students understand events surrounding the U.S.-led invasion, and explore the current situation. 

Country Themed Culture Kits 
Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country.  Check out our Morocco culture kit...

Introduction (to the Arab World) 
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, lessons, artifacts
(including headgear) to teach about the Arabs and their culture.

Iran Through the Looking Glass: History, Reform, and Revolution
One of the Choices program’s curriculum units put out by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, this contains reproducible historical sections and student handouts. Students analyze documents and take on the role of Iranians in 1979 (Iranian Revolution) making plans for their country’s political future. (This lesson works well as a political comparison for Constitution classes or as a key to understanding the current situation of Iran in current issues classes.)

Middle East: Physical Geography
A CD of maps and charts put out by the Arizona Geographic Alliance.

Promises
A book of lesson plans and supplementary materials. If you read one of the non-fiction memoirs (listed below) by Palestinian or Israeli writers, you may want to use this video/lesson set, a documentary that follows seven Palestinian and Israeli children over a four-year period of time. It portrays their lives, hopes, and contacts with each other.
VHS or DVD format. 106 minutes

Shifting Sands: Balancing U.S. Interests in the Middle East
A curriculum unit from Choices for the 21st Century, Brown University’s Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies. This is a five day lesson (though it could be adapted/shortened) that gets students involved in the debate about U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

Non-Fiction Books for Students

Click here for a list of: World History-related books/videos

Click here for a list of: literature/literary films on modern issues

Saddam Hussein: A Biography
By Shiva Balaghi
The recent biography (December 2005) describes the life of the former Iraqi leader.

Afghanistan: The Land
By Erinn Banting
A book with pictures and descriptions of Afghanistan.

The Essential Koran
Translated and edited by Thomas Cleary
This is an introductory selection of readings from the Muslim holy book.

Democracy in the Middle East
Series Editor: John C. Davenport.
From The World in Focus series, the book offers a variety of views on the prospects for democracy in the Middle East and the U.S. role in promoting democratic developments.

Democracy in the Middle East
Series Editor: John C. Davenport.
From The World in Focus series, the book offers a variety of views on the prospects for democracy in the Middle East and the U.S. role in promoting democratic developments.

Iran: Opposing Viewpoints 
Ed. by Laury K. Egendorf
The collection of articles offers many different perspectives on modern Iran. The book addresses such issues as whether Iran is a threat to global security, how the U.S. should respond to Iran, and the status of human rights. (The purpose is to show students different sides of the same issue.)

Islam 
By Jamal J. Elias
This is an overview of the Muslim religion, essential in understanding modern developments in the Middle East. 

 Iran: The People 
By April Fast
This book describes and shows lifestyles in Iran.

Iraq: The Culture 
By April Fast
This book describes and shows the culture of Iraq.

Iraq: The People 
By April Fast
This book describes and shows lifestyles in Iraq.

The Everything Middle East Book
By Jacob M. Fellure
This is an easy-to-read overview of Middle Eastern nations, histories, and conflicts.

Women in the Middle East: Tradition and Change
By Ramsay M. Harik and Elsa Marston
Easy to read with good (though black and white) photographs.

Celebrate Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr with Praying Fasting, and
Charity (National Geographic, “Holidays Around the World” series)
By Deborah Heiligman
Although it is at a low reading level, this book is even interesting to adults due to its great pictures and clear explanations. (It is National Geographic book, so the photography is amazing!)

The Book of Jewish Belief
By Louis Jacobs
This well-organized, thorough book provides short descriptions of all aspects of Jewish beliefs.

The Book of Jewish Practice
By Louis Jacobs
This book provides short, clear descriptions of Jewish customs, holidays, and practices.

Oil in the Middle East
By John King
This book contains beautiful photos and well-written narrative about modern diplomatic and political developments in the Middle East.

Koran
This is the main religious text of the Muslim religion.

Iraq
By Dale Lightfoot
One of the Modern World Issues series. The book gives an overview of Iraq’s geography, history, government, and economy. Colorful pictures and maps make it student-friendly.

Teen Life in the Middle East
By Ali Akbar Mahdi
The book describes the lives of teenagers in the Middle East.

Egypt: The Culture 
By Arlene Moskovitch
This book describes and shows the culture of Egypt.

The Arab Americans
By Alixa Naff
This book describes the experiences and contributions of Arab-Americans.

 Jerusalem
By Saviour Pirotta
From the Holy Cities series, this is a basic introduction to the city of Jerusalem.

Approaching the Qur'an
By Michael Sells
A copy of the Muslim holy book, it also comes with commentaries as well as an Audio CD of Qur’an readings.

Foods of Iran 
By Barbara Sheen
This book has lovely photographs and explanations about Iranian food.

Israel: The Culture 
By Debbie Smith
This book describes and shows the culture of Israel.

Every Man in this Village Is a Liar  
By Megan K. Stack
A reporter describes her experiences covering Middle Eastern wars from 2001.

The Middle East Today  
By Dona J. Stewart
This book gives political, geographical, and cultural perspectives of the Middle East today.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Iran
By Joseph Taggert
Though published in 2003, this book gives a fairly up-to-date and easy overview of Iran.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Iraq
By Joseph Taggert
Though published in 2003, this book gives a fairly up-to-date and easy overview of Iraq.

Turkish Customs and Traditions  
By Turgay Tuna
This book describes Turkish traditions.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Saudi Arabia
By Colin Wells
Though published in 2003, this book gives a fairly up-to-date and easy overview of Saudi Arabia.

Eyewitness Accounts for Students

Return to Childhood: The Memoir of a Modern Moroccan Woman
By Leila Abouzeid
This is the memoir  of a woman growing up during the time of Morocco's struggle for independence.

Thura's Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq
By Thura Al-Windawi
A girl describes her life in Iraq during the 2003 U.S. military action.

Tasting the Sky
By Itbisam Barakat
A beautifully written book about her childhood as a Palestinian refugee. Young people can relate to her vivid tale of youth, family relationships, and overcoming adversity.

If You Could Be My Friend
Ed. by Litsa Boudalika
Two teenagers, Mervet Akram Sha’ban and Galit Fink, one Palestinian and one Israeli teenager, corresponded with each other for three years when “introduced” by a Belgian film director, producing a documentary in Israel.

The Illustrator's Notebook
By Mohieddin Ellabbad
The book is an award-winning autobiography (with photographs and drawings) of an Egyptian illustrator focusing on his art and how art is connected with his personal experience and the broader context of Egypt’s history.  Low reading level.

Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees
By Deborah Ellis
This book provides an oppurtunity for students to read interviews with Iraqi refugee children and see how the war has affected their lives.

Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
By Debora Ellis
A collection of accounts of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by children ages 8-18. 

How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less
By Sarah Glidden
This graphic "novel" is an account of the Jewish author's "birthright" tour of Israel and her attempt to understand the complex history of the nation. 

Encounters with the Middle East: True Stories of People and Culture That Help You Understand the Region
By Nesreen Khashan and Jim Bowman
The book contains different (and readable) stories about Westerners' encounters with the Middle East.

We Just Want to Live Here
By Amal Rifa’i and Odelia Ainbinder
A Palestinian and an Israeli teenager, who met in an exchange program overseas, write to each other about their lives and the tragic conflict in their country.

Palestine
By Joe Sacco
This graphic "novel" explores life in Palestine.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis II: The Story of a Return
By Marjane Satrapi
A two-volume memoir in graphic novel style that describes the author’s childhood during the Iranian Revolution, her schooling abroad during the Iran-Iraq War, and eventual return to her homeland. Grades: 9 – up.  (See the film version - in the multimedia section below.)

Pride of Baghdad
By Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
A graphic novel based on the true story of a group of lions that escaped from the Baghdad zoo during the American bombing in 2003. It asks questions about liberty, whether it can be given or must be earned, whether it is better to die free or live in captivity.

When I Was a Soldier
By Valerie Zenatti
Memoir of a teenage Israeli girl serving her required two years in the military.

Reference Books for Teachers

A History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
By Ian J. Bickerton and Carla L. Klausner
A Concise History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Against Empire: Feminisms, Racism, and the West
By Zillah Eisenstein
A feminist, Middle Eastern perspective on globalization and imperialism.

Women of Deh Koh: Lives in an Iranian Village
By Erika Friedl
A book recounting women’s stories about their lives and hopes.

Everyday Life in the Muslim Middle East (2nd edition)
Edited by Donna Lee Bowen and Evelyn A. Early
Thirty-five stories, poems, and essays of ordinary people in various Middle Eastern countries.

The Middle East (9th ed) 
Put out by the Congressional Quarterly, this book is a reference (from an American perspective) on Middle Eastern politics and political figures.

The Middle East and Islamic World Reader
Edited by Marvin E. Gettleman and Stuart Schaar
A collection of documents on Islam and Middle Eastern history. (Over half the book is on 20th century conflicts and issues.)

Through Middle Eastern Eyes
By Robert P. Pearson and Leon E. Clark
Award-winning book, updated since September 11, that shows different Middle Eastern perspectives on their societies and cultures.

Blind Chickens and Social Animals: Creating Spaces for Afghan Women’s
Narratives under the Taliban
By Anna M. Pont
Afghani women’s views on their society and their dreams for the future.

Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals
By George Robinson
This wonderfully detailed reference book makes it easy to look up anything you want to know about Judaism. 

Historical Atlas of Islam
By Malise Ruthven and Azim Nanji
This includes discussions of modern topics, such as Muslim cinema, internet use in the Muslim world, and human rights. There is also a map that shows the countries of origin of North American Muslims.

Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the
End of the Age of Oil
By Michael C. Ruppert

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
By Jack G.Shaheen
If you are doing a lesson on propaganda or on different points of view, this thick reference book will give you plenty of food for thought.

When the Rain Returns: Toward Justice and Reconciliation in Palestine and Israel
Prepared by an International Quaker Working Party on Israel and Palestine, this book talks about nonviolence in the context of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute.

Multimedia

Afghan Star
An Afghan Pop Idol competition has come to Afghani television.  However, even in post-Taliban Afghanistan, you risk your life to sing….  
DVD format.

Another Side of Peace (2004)
A documentary about an Israeli man who, after losing both his sons in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, sets out to promote peace.   
DVD format. 58 minutes.

Arab World: The Arabs and the West (1997)
Bill Moyers talks with Charles Issawi about the roots of Arab resentment toward the West. 
VHS format. 30 minutes.

Arab World: The Bonds of Pride (1997)
Explores Arab cultural ties (language, religion, literature, history).
VHS format. 28 minutes.

Beyond the Mirage (2002)
About the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 
DVD and VHS formats. 48 minutes.

Caught in the Crossfires (2002)
Arab-Americans in the U.S. and their struggle with prejudice after 9/11. 
VHS format. 54 minutes.

Children in War
The documentary begins by describing how modern internal conflicts target civilians and sets out to examine the effects of such conflicts on children.  After the introduction, there are four segments that can stand alone on four 1990s conflict: Bosnia, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the time of the first intifada, Rwanda, and Northern Ireland.  High school teachers should use only one at a time (because they are painful).     
DVD format.

Christine (1999)
An Iranian documentary about a teenage girl, adopted by Swedish parents, sets off to Iran to find her birth mother. It provides insights into family life and the status of women in Iran. 
VHS format. 50 minutes.

Control Room (2004)
Documentary about Al-Jazeera and news coverage in the Arab world.
DVD format. 83 minutes.

Conversations across the Bosphorus (1995)
About Turkish young people.
DVD format. 42 minutes.

Divorce Iranian Style (1998)
In Persian with English subtitles, this documentary gives a vivid picture of women’s life in Iran. (Excerpts could be used in sociology classes.) 
DVD format. 80 minutes.

Families of Afghanistan, Families of Egypt, and Families of Israel
Each short video (about 30 minutes) highlights children's lives in two families: one from a rural area, one from a city.
DVD format.

Frontiers of Dreams and Fears (2001)
In Arabic with English subtitles. The story of two Palestinian girls. 
VHS format. 56 minutes.

The Fundamental Question
About Islamic fundamentalism.
VHS format. 65 minutes.

Good Kurds, Bad Kurds (2001)
About the differing U.S. foreign policy towards the Iraqi Kurds in the time of Saddam Hussein and the Turkish Kurds.
VHS format. 81 minutes.

Hidden Wars of Desert Storm (2000)
Rather shocking description of U. S. policies during and after the First Gulf War.
VHS format. 60 minutes.

Human Weapon (2002)
About suicide bombers in the Middle East and other areas of the
world.
VHS format. 55 minutes.

In My Own Skin (2001)
Interviews with five Arab-American women after 9/11. 
VHS format. 16 minutes.

Independent Media in a Time of War
This film criticizes U.S. media coverage of the Iraq war.
VHS format.

Inside Mecca
A National Geographic special, the film shows the Muslim pilgrimage and its rituals. 
DVD format. 60 minutes.

Iran: Veiled Appearances (2002)
This is a documentary of Iran 23 years after the Iranian Revolution.
DVD format. 58 minutes.

Islam: A Pictorial Essay in Four Parts
This documentary has four sections: “The Doctrine,” “The Life of the Prophet and the Faith,” “The History and Culture,” “The Arts and Sciences.”
VHS format. 90 minutes.

Islam: Empire of Faith (2000)
 This is a PBS special. 
VHS and DVD formats. 180 minutes.

Islam in America after September 11th (2002)
 This documentary shows the immediate impact of Sept. 11, 2001 on the American Muslim community.. 
 DVD format. 

The Islamic City (1988)
This film describes Islam and the structure of urban life in the Muslim world.
VHS format. 30 minutes.

Jerusalem: An Occupation Set in Stone? (1995)
This film gives the Palestinian perspective on Jerusalem. (Pair with "Jewish Perspectives on an Israeli-Palestinian Peace"). 
VHS format. 55 minutes.

Jewish Perspectives on an Israeli-Palestinian Peace
This is the Israeli perspective on current developments (Pair with "Jerusalem: An Occupation Set in Stone.")
VHS format.

Jihad Al-Asghar (2002)
This documentary gives an overview of the history of Islam and how radical Muslims use the ideology of ‘jihad’ (holy war). 
DVD format. 40 minutes.

Land of Iran
An Iranian-made film, it gives their own view of their country. 
VHS format. 60 minutes.

Muslims: An In-depth Look at What It Means to Be a Muslim in the 21st Century (2002)
A Frontline special, this describes Muslims in America in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks .
DVD format.. 120 minutes.

My Country, My Country
The film shows life in Iraq under American occupation.
 DVD format.

Mystic Iran: The Unseen World (2002)
This documentary shows a spiritual journey through Iran.
VHS and DVD formats. 52 minutes.

Oasis of Peace
This documentary focuses on a village in Israel where Palestinians and Israelis live peacefully together. 
VHS format. 28 minutes.

Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land (2004)
This explores the effect of U.S. foreign policy on our media coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute.
VHS format. 80 minutes.

Promises
Palestinian and Israeli children struggle with issues of war and peace.  (This comes with a lesson plan.)
DVD format.

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
If you are doing a lesson on propaganda or on different points of view, this DVD is wonderful. Be sure you preview it in advance to be sure some of the film clips aren’t too violent for your school’s regulations. 
DVD format. 50 minutes.

Rivers of Fire
This film explores the conflict over water in the Middle East. 
VHS format. 40 minutes.

Searching for Peace in the Middle East (2006)
This portrayal of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is seen through the eyes of people of diverse backgrounds.
DVD format. 30 minutes.

Shattered Dreams
This Frontline special focuses on the collapse of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks in 2000. 
VHS format. 120 minutes.

SOS in Tehran (2001)
Filmed in contemporary social service and psychological institutions in Iran (such as a psychology telephone hotline, group psychotherapy sessions, a mandatory pre-marital sex education course), this film explores the issues and concerns faced by modern Iranians.
VHS format. 52 minutes.

Street Life In Tehran
This film provides brief glimpses of life in Tehran, Iran. The entire film is 43 minutes, but it is divided into three parts. The sections are: a 12-minute part called “Deadtime,” which shows what people do to cope when waiting at traffic lights in the crowded streets of Tehran; a 9-minute part called “The White Station” about a woman trying to get through a Tehran snowstorm to use public transportation; and a 22-minute section called “Tehran: The 25th Hour” about the celebration in Tehran on Sweet Saturday, the day the Iranian National Soccer Team qualified for the World Cup in 1998. 
VHS format. 43 minutes.

War Photographer (2001)
VHS format. 96 minutes.

Water Wars
This film shows the Middle Eastern struggle over water rights.
VHS format. 25 minutes.

Whose Is This Song?
If you want to look at ethnic conflict and cultural diffusion, this is a great film.  It traces a popular folksong in Turkey and the Balkans, exploring the different instruments, meanings, and political implications.
DVD format.

Yasser Arafat: Terrorist to Peacemaker (1996)
This is a biography of the Palestinian leader.
VHS format. 50 minutes.

Young Voices from the Arab World: The Lives and Times of Five Teenagers (1998)
30 minutes.

Conflict in Iraq: Searching for Solutions
The Choices Program
Produced by the Watson Institute for International Studies
Conflict in Iraq: Search for Solutions draws students into the policy debate on the role of the United States in Iraq. Readings and activities provide students with an overview of the history of Iraq, help students understand events surrounding the U.S.-led invasion, and explore the current situation. 

Country Themed Culture Kits 
Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country.  Check out our Morocco culture kit.... 

Food and Agriculture Unit
“The Arab World” series. Slides, pictures, and projects on Arab food.

Introduction (to the Arab World) 
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, lessons, artifacts
(including headgear) to teach about the Arabs and their culture.

Iran Through the Looking Glass: History, Reform, and Revolution
One of the Choices program’s curriculum units put out by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, this contains reproducible historical sections and student handouts. Students analyze documents and take on the role of Iranians in 1979 (Iranian Revolution) making plans for their country’s political future. (This lesson works well as a political comparison for Constitution classes or as a key to understanding the current situation of Iran in current issues classes.)

Middle East: Physical Geography
A CD of maps and charts put out by the Arizona Geographic Alliance.

Music and Dance Unit 
This Lesson plan is from “The Arab World” series. Slides, pictures, cassette, and explanations of Arab music and instruments. The unit itself is designed for a higher level (maybe high school), but it can be easily adapted for a Middle School classroom.

Persepolis Recreated
An amazing photo/picture book and DVD set that recreates the ancient Persian city of Persepolis, one of the greatest cities of the ancient world until it was burned by Alexander the Great. It would give students a feel for the glories of an ancient civilization while countering some of the negative (and totally false) images in the movie “The 300” of the Persians as barbaric and subhuman.

Sarajevo Haggadah
See this beautiful facsimile of the 14th-century Jewish book that was brought to Bosnia (then part of the Ottoman Empire) when the Jews fled Spain during the Inquisition.  A booklet details the book's incredible history (eg. surviving three major wars during the 20th century).  You can also use the work of historical fiction based on the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah: Geraldine Brooks' "People of the Book" (which you can also borrow from the center).

Silk Road Encounters
Teachers’ guide, sourcebook, CD of lesson plans and other materials to help your students explore the Silk Road.

Books for Students

Al-Kindi: The Father of Arab Philosophy
By Tony Abboud
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Suleyman and the Ottoman Empire
By John Addison
A brief overview of the subject along with a series of short, primary source documents.

Afghanistan: The Land
By Erinn Banting
A book with pictures and descriptions of Afghanistan.

Al-Khwarizmi: The Inventor of Algebra
By Corona Brezina
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

The Essential Koran
Translated and edited by Thomas Cleary
This is an introductory selection of readings from the Muslim holy book.

Muhammad and the Arab Empire
By John Duckworth
A brief overview of the subject along with a series of short, primary source documents.

Besa: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II
By Norman H. Gershman
Real life accounts of Muslims who intervened during World War II in order to save the lives of Jews. This book contains photos of each individual interviewed and their word for word account of what happened. 

The Middle East and the Islamic World Reader 
Edited by Marvin E. Gettleman and Stuart Schaar
This collection of documents spans Islam and Middle Eastern history. (Over half the book is on 20th century conflicts and issues.)

 The Crusades: An Illustrated History 
 By James Harpur
Also subtitled "the two hundred years war, the clash between the cross and the crescent in the Middle East 1096-1291," the book gives an overview of the Crusades.

Celebrate Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr with Praying Fasting, and
Charity (National Geographic, “Holidays Around the World” series)
By Deborah Heiligman
Although it is at a low reading level, this book is even interesting to adults due to its great pictures and clear explanations. (It is National Geographic book, so the photography is amazing!)

Mecca
By Shahrukh Husain
From the Holy Cities series, a basic introduction to the city of Mecca.

Understanding Islam and the Muslims 
By Islamic Affairs Department of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia
An introduction to Islam in a brief booklet with bright photographs.

Understanding Islam and the Muslims
By the Islamic Affairs Department of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia
The introduction to Islam is in a brief booklet with bright photographs.

The Islamic Heritage
This is an overview of Islamic culture and history. 

The Book of Jewish Belief
By Louis Jacobs
This well-organized, thorough book provides short descriptions of all aspects of Jewish beliefs.

The Book of Jewish Practice
By Louis Jacobs
This book provides short, clear descriptions of Jewish customs, holidays, and practices.

The Iranian Revolution
By Brendan January
This well-written book, part of the Pivotal Moments That Changed the World series, focuses on the Iranian revolution of 1979. 

Avicenna (Ibn Sinna): Muslim Physician and Philosopher of the 11th Century
By Aishe Khan
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

The Koran
This is the main religious texts for Muslims. 

Islam: Faith, Culture, and History
By Paul Lunde
The book is an overview of Islamic religion, history, and culture.

Mosque
By David Macaulay
If you liked his books/films about the building of a medieval cathedral or fortress, you’ll like this one about the construction of a 16th century Ottoman mosque.

Inside Story: A 16th Century Mosque
By Fiona MacDonald and Mark Bergin
Detailed illustrations and clear explanations make this a terrific resource book with information about the building, religious background, and history surrounding the construction of a mosque.

Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World
By Natalie Maydell and Sep Riahi
This book, introduces readers to 13 Muslim women in history who have lived extraordinary lives and influenced their communities in a positive way, often overcoming extreme hardship and inaccurate stereotypes that have been placed on the role of women in Islam. In addition to showing the impact these women have had throughout the years, Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World seeks to make a difference in the lives of Islamic women today, inspiring them to fervently pursue their goals. All proceeds from the special edition hardback series will be donated to Islamic Relief to benefit the women and children of Sudan.

The Ottomans: Empire of Faith
By Dr. David Nicolle
A comprehensive history of the Ottoman Empire with maps and illustrations.

Jerusalem
By Saviour Pirotta
From the Holy Cities series, a basic introduction to the city of Jerusalem.

The African and Middle Eastern World, 600-1500 
By Randall L.Pouwels
A history of medieval Africa and the Middle East with beautiful photographs and maps.

Albucasis (Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi): Renouned Muslim Surgeon of the 10th Century
By Fred Ramen
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, Persepolis II: The Story of a Return 
By Marjane Satrapi
A two-volume memoir in graphic novel style that describes the author’s childhood during the Iranian Revolution, her schooling abroad during the Iran-Iraq War, and eventual return to her homeland. (See the film - listed in the Multimedia section below.)

Al-Biruni: Master Astronomer and Muslim Scholar of the 11th Century
By Bill Scheppler
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Approaching the Qur'an
By Michael Sells
A copy of the Muslim holy book, it also comes with commentaries as well as an Audio CD of Qur’an readings.

Guru Nanak
By Rina Singh and Andree Pouliot
This beautifully illustrated book describes the life and teachings of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion.

Averroes (Ibn Rushd): Muslim Scholar, Philosopher, and Physician of the 12th Century
By Liz Sonneborn
This book is part of a 6-volume series "Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages."

Early Islam
By Desmond Stewart
Part of the "Great Ages of Man" series, this book has vivid pictures and maps to illustrate the history of Islam during medieval times.

Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World
By Lilia Zaouali
This book gives a culinary history of the Islamic world and provides recipes. 

Historical Fiction for Students

Bridge on the Drina
By Ivo Andric
This award-winning Bosnian novel describes (as a series of short stories set in different time periods) a small town in Bosnia during the years of Ottoman rule.  (You can easily read one chapter or two apart from the others.) 

Forgotten Fire
By Adam Bagdasarian
Although the book is a work of fiction, it is based on the true experiences of the author's great-uncle, who was a teenager during the Armenian genocide. 

The Apprentice's Masterpiece: A Story of Medieval Spain
By Melanie Little
A young adult novel set in 14th-century Spain, tells the story of a family with a secret at a time when the Inquisition brings intolerance and torture. Written in elegant free verse this is a dramatic story set in a troubling time.

On the Other Side of Mount Ararat: A Story of a Vanished City
By Mariam and Louise Manoukian
A girl grows up in the last days of the Ottoman Empire and experiences the Armenian genocide.

Dawn and Dusk
By Alice Mead
A story of a 13-year-old Kurdish boy during the time of the Iran-Iraq War (and the Iraqi poison gas attack on some Kurdish villages).

Reference Books for Teachers

Approaching the Qur’an
The Muslim holy book with commentaries. There is also an Audio CD of Qur’an readers.

Picturing Iran: Art, Society and Revolution
By Shiva Balaghi and Lynn Gumpert, eds.
A book showing modern Iranian visual culture of the 1960s and 1970s (just before and during the revolution). Some of the posters shown in the book would be useful in helping your students to understand the reasons behind the revolution.

A History of the Muslim World to 1405
By Vernon O. Egger

The Essential Koran
An introductory selection of readings from the Muslim holy book.

Moorish Spain
By Richard Fletcher

The Modern Middle East: A History
By James L. Gelvin

Trading Tastes: Commodity and Cultural Exchange to 1750
By Erik Gilbert and Jonathan Reynolds
A short reference book on medieval international trade in salt, slaves, silk, and spices.

Koran
The main religious text of Muslims.

The Middle East and Islamic World Reader
Edited by Marvin E. Gettleman and Stuart Schaar
A collection of documents on Islam and Middle Eastern history. (Over half the book is on 20th century conflicts and issues.)

Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals
By George Robinson
This wonderfully detailed reference book makes it easy to look up anything you want to know about Judaism. 

Historical Atlas of Islam
By Malise Ruthven and Azim Nanji
This includes discussions of modern topics, such as Muslim cinema, internet use in the Muslim world, and human rights. There is also a map that shows the countries of origin of North American Muslims.

Multimedia

Al-Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948 (1997)
 This documentary describes how and why 750,000 Palestinian Arabs became refugees after the first Arab-Israeli War. It attempts to view the reality, not the propaganda, of the issue. 
VHS format. 56 minuntes.

America Held Hostage: The Iran Crisis (1998)
This is an ABC news special.  
VHS format.  60 minutes.

Among the Righteous: Lost Stories from the Holocaust in Arab Lands
This PBS documentary describes how some North African Arabs helped Jews during the Holocaust.
DVD format.

Anatomy of Tragedy: Massacre at Hebron (1990)
This Nightline special discusses the massacre in the Ibrahim Mosque perpetrated by an Israeli extremist. This is particularly interesting as students are familiar with Palestinian suicide bombers but rarely see the atrocities perpetrated by the other side. 
VHS format.

Arab World: The Arabs and the West (1997)
Bill Moyers talks with Charles Issawi about the roots of Arab resentment toward the West. 
VHS format. 30 minutes.

Arab World: The Bonds of Pride (1997)
This film explores Arab cultural ties (language, religion, literature, history).
VHS format. 28 minutes.

Ataturk
This is a biography of the founder of modern Turkey. 
VHS format. 80 minutes.

Cities of Light
This documentary is an interesting look at Muslim, Jewish, and Christian interrelationships in medieval Spain.
DVD format. 

Crusades: The Four Volumes (1985)
This is a documentary about the Crusades.
HS format. 50 min. each - 4 videotapes.

Desperate Hours
This production by Shendoah Films describes how Turks aided Jews during the Holocaust.
DVD format.

“Egypt: Mummy Autopsy,” “Egypt: Mysterious Death of Cleopatra,” “Egypt: Pharaoh’s Revenge,” “Egypt: Ramses,” “Egypt: The Sphinx.” 
This is a series of Discovery Channel specials. 
DVD format. 60 minutes each.

The Glories of Islamic Art
This comprises three 45-minute videos with beautiful cinematography and descriptions of the place of art within the Muslim tradition. Part 1: The Umayyads and Their Capital Damascus,” Part 2: “The Ottomans and Their Capital Istanbul,” Part 3: “Two Islamic Regimes in Cairo.”

Good Kurds, Bad Kurds
U.S. foreign policy towards the Kurds in the time of Saddam Hussein and the Turkish Kurds of the same period were radically different.
VHS format.

Hidden Wars of Desert Storm
This rather shocking films critiques U. S. policies during and after the First Gulf War.
VHS format.

I Will Not Be Sad in This World (2001).
Portrait of a 94-year-old Armenian woman’s life from the genocide through her childhood in a Lebanese orphanage through her life in America.
56 min. VHS and DVD formats available.

Inside Mecca
 This National Geographic special  takes you on a journey through the Muslim pilgrimage and its rituals.
60 minutes.

Islam: A Pictorial Essay in Four Parts
This documentary about the Muslim religion comprises four sections: “The Doctrine,” “The Life of the Prophet and the Faith,” “The History and Culture,” “The Arts and Sciences.”
VHS format. 90 min.

Islam: Empire of Faith (2000)
This is a PBS special about the Muslim religion. 
VHS and DVD formats. 180 minutes.

Jerusalem
This describes the history of the city of Jerusalem. 
VHS format. 19 minutes.

Lawrence of Arabia: The Battle for the Arab World (2004)
An excellent PBS documentary, this film examines the life of Lawrence of Arabia.
VHS and DVD formats. 120 minutes.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
This film is a Hollywood production (to compare to the documentary).
DVD format. 227 minutes.

The Message: The Story of Islam (1996)
This film shows the emergence and beliefs of the Muslim religion. 
VHS format. 172 minutes.

Persepolis Recreated
This DVD/book combination shows how the city of Persepolis looked in the time of the ancient Persian Empire (before the destruction of the city by Alexander the Great.
DVD format.

Prince among Slaves
This is a true story of an African (Muslim) slave brought to the U.S. and then discovered to be a prince. 
DVD format. 

Reel Bad Arabs
If you are doing a lesson on propaganda or on different points of view, this DVD is wonderful. Be sure you preview it in advance to be sure some of the film clips aren’t too violent for your school’s regulations. 
DVD format.

Secrets of Lost Empires: Pyramid (2007)
This Nova special intersperces a documentary style with an animated story telling of the building of the great pyramid at Giza.
VHS format. 60 min.

The Siege of Constantinople
 One of the History’s Turning Points series, this documentary is a vivid recreation of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople.
VHS format. 27 minutes.

Story of Islam
VHS format. 120 minutes

Um Kulthum: A Voice Like Egypt
 This is a documentary about a famous Middle Eastern singer.
VHS format.

Fictional or Non-Fictional Personal Accounts: 

Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood
By Barakat, Ibtisam

Come Tell Me How You Live
By Agatha Christie Mallowan 
Agatha Christie, writing under the name of her second husband Max Mallowan, recounts their lives on the archaeological projects that Max directed in Iraq and Syria just before and after World War II (during which, incidentally, Agatha wrote many of her murder mysteries).

Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love and War
By Anna Ciezadlo 
This is a memoir of the author’s travels mostly in Iraq and Beirut around 2003 – 2009.  She is incredibly insightful, and the book is beautifully written and an easy read.

A Persian Requiem (Also available in a translation entitled Savushun.) 
By Simin Daneshvar
The first published novel by an Iranian woman, this beautifully written story is set in Shiraz, Iran during World War II.  The story is told primarily from the point of view of a woman caught in a web of family and political intrigues, including those involving the presence of the British in SW Iran and tribal conflicts with the local government.

Baghdad Without a Map
By Tony Horwitz
A very humorously written set of vignettes that illustrate some of the more idiosyncratic aspects of Middle Eastern societies and politics. 
 
Pillar of Salt 
By Albert Memmi 
A wonderful autobiographical novel about coming of age in the Jewish ghetto of Tunis during the 1930s and 1940s, this book portrays the impact of French colonialism on Tunisian society in general and on Tunisian Jews in particular at the time Tunisia was occupied by Axis powers. 

Touba and the Meaning of Night
By Shahrnush Parsipur. Introduction by Kamran Talattof, translated by Havva Houshmand and Kamran Talattof.
Eighty dramatic years in Iran—from the turn of the 20th-century to the 1979 revolution—are witnessed through Touba's chador-covered eyes in this bold, insightful novel.

Women without Men: A Novel of Modern Iran
By Shahrnush Parsipur
Five women characters escape social constraints in a magical garden.  Artist Shirin Neshat recently produced a film based on this novel.   

Persepolis and Persepolis II
By Marjane Satrapi
Graphic “novels” that tell the true story of the author’s experiences as a child/young adult during the Iranian Revolution, Iran-Iraq War, and afterwards.  

The Bastard of Istanbul  
By Elif Shafak  
Written by a Turkish novelist and former UA faculty member, dealing with Turkish identity and the Armenian question.   

Arabian Sands  
By Wilfred Thesiger
An amazing account of Thesiger’s treks through the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula before the advent of big oil and all the social and political change that followed thereafter.
  
The Lemon Tree
By Sandy Tolan  
An insightful, engaging personal account of two families’—one Arab, one Jewish—attachment to a small stone house in Ramla, Israel. 

Other Non-Fiction

A History of Modern Iran
By Ervand Abrahamian

Modern Iran since 1921: The Pahlavis and After
By Ali Ansari 

Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History
By Thomas Barfield

Thicker than Oil: America's Uneasy Partnership with Saudi Arabia
By Rachel Bronson

A New Introduction to Islam, 2^nd ed. 
By Daniel Brown

A History of the Modern Middle East, 4^th ed.
By William L. Cleveland and Martin Bunton

O Jerusalem
By Larry Collins & Lapierre, Dominique

Islam
By Jamal J. Elias
This is a short and readable history of Islam from the 7^th century to the present, with timelines, maps, and glossary. 

A Peace to End All Peace: Creating the Modern Middle East
By David Fromkin

The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War, 2^nd ed. 
James L. Gelvin

Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jewries: History and Culture in the Modern Era
 Editied By Harvey E. Goldberg

A Concise History of the Middle East
By Arthur Goldschmidt Jr. and Davidson, Lawrence

The Arab-Israeli Wars
By Chaim Herzog

Middle Eastern Humanities: An Introduction to the Cultures of the Middle East
By Leila Hudson

Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace: American Leadership in the Middle East
By Daniel C. Kurtzer and Scott B. Lasensky 

The Israel - Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, 7^th ed.  
By Walter Laqueur and Barry Rubin
A collection of primary source documents dating from 1882 into the 21^st century.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom
By T.E. Lawrence 

Atatürk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey
By Andrew Mango 

The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Middle East Peace
By Aaron David Miller 

Egypt on the Brink
By Tarek Osman

Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism
By Robert A. Pape

Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq
By Thomas E. Ricks

The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008
By Thomas E. Ricks

Escaping Plato’s Cave: How America’s Blindness to the Rest of the World Threatens Our Survival
By Mort Rosenblum
"Mort Rosenblum has spent his entire working life in the wider world, and "Escaping Plato's Cave" is the fruit of that vast fieldwork--passionate, timely, and original, it is a book every American should read."--Paul Theroux

Little Bunch of Madmen: Elements of Global Reporting
By Mort Rosenblum
"With this invaluable, succinct, and compulsively readable primer, legendary foreign correspondent Mort Rosenblum hauls young journalists up some of the steepest slopes of their learning curve. They and their readers ought to be enormously grateful for what he's done." --Alan Weisman, author of The World Without Us

The Transformation of Palestinian Politics: From Revolution to State-Building
By Barry Rubin

A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time, Second Edition
By Howard Sachar

Islam and Modernity in Turkey
By Brian Silverstein
An ethnographic account of Islam in modern Turkey by UA Anthropology faculty member Brian Silverstein, this book discusses Islam and mass media in Turkey, with attention to the Ottoman and early Republican background of contemporary Turkey. 

Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict:  A History with Documents
By Charles D. Smith 

Every Man in This Village is a Liar: An Education in War
By Megan K. Stack 
A finalist for the National Book Award, this book chronicles journalist Megan Stack’s recent experience as a reporter in the Middle East and her understanding of the effects of war on Middle Eastern peoples. 

The Stakes: America and the Middle East
By  Shibley Telhami

A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, 2^nd ed.
By Mark Tessler
Historical and political analysis by a political scientist. 

The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
By  Lawrence Wright 

Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East
By Robin Wright 

Turkey: A Modern History
By Erik Zürcher

AP World History Resources