CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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Global Reading: Selected Books for Children and Teens Set in Other Countries

©2025, 2020 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Compiled by Megan Schliesman, Merri Lindgren, and Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

This bibliography was designed with U.S. readers in mind, so “other countries” refers to countries other than the United States.

Books on the list are arranged by geographic region of the world as follows:

• Africa
• Americas and the Caribbean
• Asia and Pacific Islands
• Europe and Australia
• Middle East

The regional categories are further subdivided by picture books, novels, and non-fiction.

It should be noted that one of the difficulties regarding the availability of books set in other countries, especially across Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, some parts of Asia and the Middle East, is that they are often narratives illuminating hardship. While it is important for U.S. readers to understand these challenges, it is also important they understand narratives about struggle don’t tell the whole story of any place. Literature can be an important avenue to empathy and understanding, but it is important that children not develop a one-sided impression of other countries. So while we have tried to offer a variety here, books alone do not necessarily provide a balanced understanding of life in other places.

Emphasis has been placed on books published in 2010 or later; a few older books were chosen if they were translated or provide unique content and are still in print. The list includes history as well as contemporary life. See our Recommended Book Search for additional books set in other countries recommended by the CCBC.

Africa

Picture Books

Baby Goes to Market
Baby Goes to Market
by Atinuke,
Illustrated by Angela Brooksbank. Candlewick, 2017. 32 pages. Ages 2-4

Catch That Chicken!
Catch That Chicken!
by Atinuke,
Illustrated by Angela Brooksbank. Candlewick, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 2-5

The Market Bowl
The Market Bowl
by Averbeck, Jim
Illustrated by Jim Averbeck. Charlesbridge, 2013. 32 pages. Ages 4-7

Mirror
Mirror
by Baker, Jeannie
Illustrated by Jeannie Baker. Candlewick, 2010. 40 pages. Ages 6-9

The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope and Apartheid in South Africa
The Soccer Fence: A Story of Friendship, Hope and Apartheid in South Africa
by Bildner, Phil
Illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson. Putnam, 2014. 40 pages. Ages 7-10

The Patchwork Bike
The Patchwork Bike
by Clarke, Maxine Beneba
Illustrated by Van Thanh Rudd. Candlewick, 2018. 32 pages. Ages 4-8

Olu & Greta
Olu & Greta
by Ejaita, Diana
Illustrated by Diana Ejaita. Penguin Random House/Rise x Penguin Workshop, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 4-8

The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle
The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle
by Isabella, Jude
Illustrated by Simone Shin. Citizen Kid, 2015. 32 pages. Ages 6-9

The Banana-Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World
The Banana-Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World
by Milway, Katie Smith
Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Citizen Kid/Kids Can, 2017. 32 pages. Ages 7-10

Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time
Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time
by Park, Linda Sue
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 4-8

Novels

Anna Hibiscus
Anna Hibiscus
by Atinuke,
Illustrated by Lauren Tobia. Kane Miller, 2010. 112 pages. Ages 4-8

Too Small Tola
Too Small Tola
by Atinuke,
Illustrated by Onyinye Iwu. Candlewick, 2021. 88 pages. Ages 6-9

Flying Up the Mountain
Flying Up the Mountain
by Baitie, Elizabeth-Irene
Norton, 2023. 233 pages. Ages 8-11

When the Ground is Hard
When the Ground is Hard
by Nunn, Malla
Penguin Random House/Putnam, 2019. 257 pages. Age 14 and older

Akata Witch (Nsibidi Scripts, #1)
Akata Witch (Nsibidi Scripts, #1)
by Okorafor, Nnedi
Viking, 2011. 349 pages. Ages 10-13

Ikenga
Ikenga
by Okorafor, Nnedi
Penguin Random House/Viking, 2020. 227 pages. Ages 8-11

The Red Pencil
The Red Pencil
by Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Little, Brown, 2014. 308 pages. Age 12 and older

When Morning Comes
When Morning Comes
by Raina, Arushi
Tradewind, 2017. 221 pages. Age 14 and older

The Bitter Side of Sweet
The Bitter Side of Sweet
by Sullivan, Tara
Putnam, 2016. 299 pages. Ages 10-14

Hope Is Our Only Wing
Hope Is Our Only Wing
by Tavengerwei, Rutendo
Soho Teen, 2019. 207 pages. Age 13 and older

Non-Fiction

A Gift from Childhood: Memories of an African Boyhood
A Gift from Childhood: Memories of an African Boyhood
by Diakite, Baba Wague
Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2010. 134 pages. Ages 11-15

Call Me American: The Extraordinary True Story of a Young Somali Immigrant
Call Me American: The Extraordinary True Story of a Young Somali Immigrant
by Iftin, Abdi Nor and Max Alexander
Delacorte/Random House, 2020. 255 pages. Age 12 and older

When Stars Are Scattered
When Stars Are Scattered
by Jamieson, Victoria and Omar Mohamed
Illustrated by Victoria Jamieson. Dial/Penguin Random House, 2020. 256 pages. Ages 9-13

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer
Illustrated by Anna Hymas. Dial, 2015. 293 pages. Age 12 and older

One Hen and Then...The Story of a Small Loan and a Big Dream
One Hen and Then...The Story of a Small Loan and a Big Dream
by Milway, Katie Smith and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Illustrated by Tequitia Andrews. Kids Can, 2024. Ages 5-10

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
by Paul, Miranda
Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. Millbrook, 2015. 32 pages. Ages 7-10

Hector: A Boy, a Protest, and the Photograph that Changed Apartheid
Hector: A Boy, a Protest, and the Photograph that Changed Apartheid
by Wright, Adrienne
Illustrated by Adrienne Wright. Page Street Kids, 2019. 48 pages. Age 11 and older

Americas and the Caribbean

Picture Books

Two White Rabbits
Two White Rabbits
by Buitrago, Jairo
Illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. Translated by Elisa Amado. Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2015. 48 pages. Ages 5-12

My Day with the Panye
My Day with the Panye
by Charles, Tami
Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Candlewick, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 3-7

Saudade: Our Longing for Brazil
Saudade: Our Longing for Brazil
by Crespo, Ana
Illustrated by Andre Ceolin. Holiday House/Neal Porter Books, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

From There to Here
From There to Here
by Croza, Laurel
Illustrated by Matt James. Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2014. 32 pages. Ages 5-9

All the Way to Havana
All the Way to Havana
by Engle, Margarita
Illustrated by Mike Curato. Godwin Books/Henry Holt, 2017. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

A Song of Frutas
A Song of Frutas
by Engle, Margarita
Illustrated by Sara Palacios. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 2021. 40 pages. Ages 4-7

Africville
Africville
by Grant, Shauntay
Illustrated by Eva Campbell. Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2018. 32 pages. Ages 6-9

Digging for Words: Jose Alberto Guierrez and the Library He Built
Digging for Words: Jose Alberto Guierrez and the Library He Built
by Kunkel, Angela Burke
Illustrated by Paola Escobar. Schwartz & Wade, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

Rainbow Weaver = Tejedora del arcoíris
Rainbow Weaver = Tejedora del arcoíris
by Marshall, Linda Elovitz
Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. Lee & Low, 2016. 32 pages. Ages 4-8

The Field
The Field
by Paul, Baptiste
Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara. NorthSouth, 2018. 24 pages. Ages 4-8

A Maleta Full of Treasures
A Maleta Full of Treasures
by Sylvester, Natalia
Illustrated by Juana Medina. Dial/Penguin Random House, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 3-7

The Blue Pickup
The Blue Pickup
by Tripplett, Natasha
Illustrated by Monica Mikai. Harper/HarperCollins, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 4-8

Novels

Clap When You Land
Clap When You Land
by Acevedo, Elizabeth
HarperCollins/HarperTeen, 2020. 417 pages. Age 13 and older

The Head of the Saint
The Head of the Saint
by Acioli, Socorro
Translated by Daniel Hahn. Delacorte, 2016. 181 pages. Age 12 and older

Across So Many Seas
Across So Many Seas
by Behar, Ruth
Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2024. 258 pages. Ages 10-13

Hurricane Child
Hurricane Child
by Callender, Kheryn
Scholastic, 2018. 214 pages. Ages 10-13

The Only Road
The Only Road
by Diaz, Alexandra
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, 2016. 308 pages. Ages 9-13

Playing for the Devil's Fire
Playing for the Devil's Fire
by Diederich, Phillippe
Cinco Puntos, 2016. 254 pages. Age 12 and older

What If a Fish
What If a Fish
by Fajardo, Anika
Simon & Schuster, 2020. 231 pages. Ages 9-12

When Life Gives You Mangos
When Life Gives You Mangos
by Getten, Kereen
Delacorte/Random House, 2020. 193 pages. Ages 9-12

Borders
Borders
by King, Thomas
Illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Little, Brown, 2021. 171 pages. Age 8 and older

Buffalo Flats
Buffalo Flats
by Leavitt, Martine
Holiday House/Margaret Ferguson Books, 2023. 232 pages. Age 14 and older

Here the Whole Time
Here the Whole Time
by Martins, Vitor
Translated by Larissa Helena. Push/Scholastic, 2020. 273 pages. Age 13 and older

Gracie Under the Waves
Gracie Under the Waves
by Park, Linda Sue
Illustrated by Maxine Vee. Allida/HarperCollins, 2024. 162 pages. Ages 8-11

Non-Fiction

Sharuko: Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello = El arqueologo Peruano Julio C. Tello
Sharuko: Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello = El arqueologo Peruano Julio C. Tello
by Brown, Monica
Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. Children's Book Press/Lee & Low, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 7-10

Titanosaur: Discovering the World's Largest Dinosaur
Titanosaur: Discovering the World's Largest Dinosaur
by Carballido, Jose Luis and Diego Pol
Illustrated by Florencia Gigena. Orchard/Scholastic, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 5-9

The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People
The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People
by Church, Dana L.
Scholastic/Scholastic Focus, 2024. 309 pages. Age 11 and older

The Bluest Sky
The Bluest Sky
by Gonzalez, Christina Diaz
Knopf/Penguin Random House, 2022. 314 pages. Ages 10-13

The Distance Between Us
The Distance Between Us
by Grande, Reyna
Aladdin, 2016. 322 pages. Age 13 and older

Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir
by Martin, Pedro
Illustrated by Pedro Martin. Dial/Penguin Random House, 2023. 309 pages. Ages 8-13

Book of Questions: Selections / Libro de las preguntas: Selecciones
Book of Questions: Selections / Libro de las preguntas: Selecciones
by Neruda, Pablo
Illustrated by Paloma Valdivia. Enchanted Lion, 2022. Age 5 and older

Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea
Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea
by Newman, Patricia
Lerner/Millbrook, 2024. 55 pages. Ages 8-12

I Am a Promise
I Am a Promise
by Rousseau, Ashley and Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce
Illustrated by Rachel Moss. Akashic/Black Sheep, 2020. 24 pages. Ages 5-9

Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation
Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation
by Smith, Monique Gray
Orca, 2017. 160 pages. Ages 8-13

The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border
The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border
by Villalobos, Juan Pablo
Farrar Straus Giroux/Macmillan, 2019. 147 pages. Age 12 and older

Asia and Pacific Islands

Picture Books

The Big Bath House
The Big Bath House
by Maclear, Kyo
Illustrated by Gracey Zhang. Penguin Random House/Random House Studio, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 3-7

Noodles on a Bicycle
Noodles on a Bicycle
by Maclear, Kyo
Illustrated by Gracey Zhang. Random House/Random House Studio, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 4-8

A Sari for Ammi
A Sari for Ammi
by Nainy, Mamta
Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. Amazon Crossing Kids, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 3-7

My First Day
My First Day
by Phung Nguyen, Quang and Lien Huynh Kim
Illustrated by Quang Phung Nguyen and Lien Huynh Kim. Make Me A World, 2021. 40 pages. Ages 4-8

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden
The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden
by Smith, Heather
Illustrated by Rachel Wada. Orca, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 5-9

Ojiichan's Gift
Ojiichan's Gift
by Uegaki, Chieri
Illustrated by Genevieve Simms. Kids Can, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

Playing with Lanterns
Playing with Lanterns
by Yage, Wang
Illustrated by Chengliang Zhu. Translated by Helen Wang. Amazon Crossing Kids, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 4-7

Angel in Beijing
Angel in Beijing
by Yang, Belle
Illustrated by Belle Yang. Candlewick, 2018. 24 pages. Ages 3-7

This Is Not My Home
This Is Not My Home
by Yoh, Eugenia and Vivienne Chang
Illustrated by Vivienne Chang and Eugenia Yoh. Little, Brown, 2023. 40 pages. Ages 4-7

Novels

The Girl and the Ghost
The Girl and the Ghost
by Alkaf, Hanna
Harper/HarperCollins, 2020. 275 pages. Ages 9-12

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories
by Alkaf, Hanna
Harper/HarperCollins, 2023. 390 pages. Ages 9-12

Himawari House
Himawari House
by Becker, Harmony
Illustrated by Harmony Becker. First Second/Roaring Brook, 2021. 374 pages. Age 13 and older

When Impossible Happens
When Impossible Happens
by De Suza, Jane
Penguin Random House/Putnam, 2023. 160 pages. Ages 7-10

One More Mountain (The Breadwinner Series, #5)
One More Mountain (The Breadwinner Series, #5)
by Ellis, Deborah
Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2022. 192 pages. Age 11 and older

The Night Diary
The Night Diary
by Hiranandani, Veera
Dial/Penguin, 2018. 264 pages. Ages 10-13

A Crane Among Wolves
A Crane Among Wolves
by Hur, June
Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, 2024. 359 pages. Age 13 and older

Temple Alley Summer
Temple Alley Summer
by Kashiwaba, Sachiko
Illustrated by Miho Satake. Translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa. Restless/Yonder, 2021. 232 pages. Ages 8-12

Brother's Keeper
Brother's Keeper
by Lee, Julie
Holiday House, 2020. 314 pages. Ages 9-12

Patron Saints of Nothing
Patron Saints of Nothing
by Ribay, Randy
Kokila/Penguin Random House, 2019. 323 pages. Age 14 and older

Amal Unbound
Amal Unbound
by Saeed, Aisha
Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2018. 226 pages. Ages 9-13

Dawn Raid
Dawn Raid
by Smith, Pauline Vaeluaga
Illustrated by Mat Hunkin. Levine Querido, 2021. 217 pages. Ages 9-12

 
Sona Sharma: Looking After Planet Earth
by Soundar, Chitra
Illustrated by Jen Khatun. Candlewick, 2024. 119 pages.

My Fate According to the Butterfly
My Fate According to the Butterfly
by Villanueva, Gail D.
Scholastic Press, 2019. Ages 8-12

Bronze and Sunflower
Bronze and Sunflower
by Wenxuan, Cao
Illustrated by Meilo So. Translated by Helen Wang. Candlewick, 2017. 386 pages. Ages 7-10

Non-Fiction

Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out
Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out
by Almellehan, Muzoon and Wendy Perlman
Knopf/Random House, 2023. 270 pages. Ages 11-14

Uprooted: A Memoir about What Happens When Your Family Moves Back
Uprooted: A Memoir about What Happens When Your Family Moves Back
by Chan, Ruth
Illustrated by Ruth Chan. Roaring Brook, 2024. 285 pages. Ages 11-14

Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War
Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely Through a Never-Ending War
by Ellis, Deborah
Groundwood, 2012. 143 pages. Age 11 and older

Banned Book Club
Banned Book Club
by Kim, Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada
Illustrated by Hyung-Ju Ko. Iron Circus Comics, 2020. 198 pages. Age 13 and older

Every Falling Star
Every Falling Star
by Lee, Sungju and Susan McClelland
Amulet, 2016. 320 pages. Age 11 and older

Rats to the Rescue: The Unlikely Heroes Making Cambodia Safe
Rats to the Rescue: The Unlikely Heroes Making Cambodia Safe
by Riley, Scott and Sambat Meas
Lerner/Millbrook, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 8-11

The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art
The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art
by Rosenstock, Barb
Illustrated by Claire A. Nivola. Candlewick, 2018. 32 pages. Ages 6-10

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
by Soontornvat, Christina
Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages. Age 10 and older

Born Naughty: My Childhood in China
Born Naughty: My Childhood in China
by Wang, Jin and Tony Johnston
Illustrated by Anisi Baigude. Anne Schwartz Book/Random House, 2024. 98 pages. Ages 7-9

Twenty-two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank
Twenty-two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank
by Yoo, Paula
Lee & Low, 2014. 40 pages. Ages 7-10

The House Baba Built
The House Baba Built
by Young, Ed
Illustrated by Ed Young. Little, Brown, 2011. 48 pages. Ages 7-14

Europe and Australia

Picture Books

Mirror
Mirror
by Baker, Jeannie
Illustrated by Jeannie Baker. Candlewick, 2010. 40 pages. Ages 6-9

Ballywhinney Girl
Ballywhinney Girl
by Bunting, Eve
Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 32 pages. Ages 7-10

Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic
Little Dog Lost: The True Story of a Brave Dog Named Baltic
by Carnesi, Monica
Illustrated by Monica Carnesi. Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, 2012. 32 pages. Ages 5-10

King of the Sky
King of the Sky
by Davies, Nicola
Illustrated by Laura Carlin. Candlewick, 2017. 48 pages.

A Star Shines Through
A Star Shines Through
by Desnitskaya, Anna
Illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya. Translated by Anna Desnitskaya. Eerdmans, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 6-9

Sophie Scott Goes South
Sophie Scott Goes South
by Lester, Alison
Illustrated by Alison Lester. Houghton Mifflin , 2013. 32 pages. Ages 5-9

Hello, I'm a Quokka
Hello, I'm a Quokka
by Rocco, Hayley and John Rocco
Putnam, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 4-7

Angela's Glacier
Angela's Glacier
by Scott, Jordan
Illustrated by Diana Sudyka. Holiday House/Neal Porter Books, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 6-10

Novels

The Lines We Cross
The Lines We Cross
by Abdel-Fattah, Randa
Scholastic Press, 2017. 400 pages. Age 12 and older

Fire from the Sky
Fire from the Sky
by Astot, Moa Backe
Levine Querido, 2023. 205 pages. Age 14 and older

Eddy, Eddy
Eddy, Eddy
by De Goldi, Kate
Candlewick, 2024. 287 pages. Age 14 and older

Pie in the Sky
Pie in the Sky
by Lai, Remy
Illustrated by Remy Lai. Henry Holt, 2019. 384 pages. Ages 8-12

A Ceiling Made of Eggshells
A Ceiling Made of Eggshells
by Levine, Gail Carson
Harper/HarperCollins, 2020. 371 pages. Ages 10-13

The Apartment: A Century of Russian History
The Apartment: A Century of Russian History
by Litvina, Alexandra
Illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya. Translated by Antonina W. Bouis. Abrams, 2019. Ages 9-13

Torch
Torch
by Miller-Lachmann, Lyn
Carolrhoda Lab/Lerner, 2022. 318 pages. Age 14 and older

Cloud and Wallfish
Cloud and Wallfish
by Nesbet, Anne
Candlewick, 2016. 385 pages. Ages 10-13

Lucy & Linh
Lucy & Linh
by Pung, Alice
Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. 340 pages. Age 13 and older

I Must Betray You
I Must Betray You
by Sepetys, Ruta
Penguin Random House/Philomel, 2022. 319 pages. Age 12 and older

The Runaways
The Runaways
by Stark, Ulf
Illustrated by Kitty Crowther. Translated by Julia Marshall. Gecko, 2019. Ages 7-11

Mishka
Mishka
by van de Vendel, Edward and Anoush Elman
Illustrated by Annet Schaap. Translated by Nancy Forest-Flier. Levine Querido, 2024. 151 pages. Ages 6-10

The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin
The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin
by Wilson, Kip
HarperCollins/Versify, 2022. 487 pages. Age 14 and older

Non-Fiction

Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion
by Barton, Chris
Illustrated by Victo Ngai. Millbrook, 2017. 36 pages. Ages 7-10

The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best
Vigdis: A Book About the World's First Female President
Vigdis: A Book About the World's First Female President
by Flygenring, Ran
Illustrated by Ran Flygenring. Translated by Jonas Moody. HELVETIQ, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 6-10

Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust
Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust
by Rappaport, Doreen
Candlewick, 2012. 228 pages. Age 12 and older

The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival
The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival
by Sabic-El-Rayess, Amra and Laura L. Sullivan
Bloomsbury, 2020. 370 pages. Age 13 and older

Loch Ness Uncovered: Media, Misinformation, and the Greatest Monster Hoax of All Time
Loch Ness Uncovered: Media, Misinformation, and the Greatest Monster Hoax of All Time
by Siegel, Rebecca
Astra, 2024. 192 pages. Age 11 and older

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs
The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs
by Stiefel, Chana
Illustrated by Susan Gal. Scholastic Press, 2022. 40 pages. Ages 7-10

A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II
A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II
by Wein, Elizabeth
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2018. 388 pages. Age 13 and older

The Genius Under the Table
The Genius Under the Table
by Yelchin, Eugene
Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. Candlewick, 2021. Age 9 and older

Middle East

Picture Books

Time to Pray
Time to Pray
by Addasi, Maha
Illustrated by Ned Gannon. Boyds Mills, 2010. 32 pages. Ages 6-10

The Three Lucys
The Three Lucys
by Charara, Hayan
Illustrated by Sara Kahn. Abrams ComicArts/Lee & Low, 2016. 40 pages. Ages 5-8

Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam
Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam
by Gilani-Williams, Fawzia
Illustrated by Chiara Fedele. Kar-Ben, 2017. 24 pages. Ages 3-7

My Grandma and Me
My Grandma and Me
by Javaherbin, Mina
Illustrated by Lindsey Yankey. Candlewick, 2019. 32 pages. Ages 4-7

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey
Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey
by Kuntz, Doug and Amy Shrodes
Illustrated by Sue Cornelison. Crown, 2017. 40 pages. Ages 6-9

A Feather, a Pebble, a Shell
A Feather, a Pebble, a Shell
by Leshem-Pelly, Miri
Illustrated by Miri Leshem-Pelly. Kar-Ben/Lerner, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

Hands around the Library: Protecting Egypt’s Treasured Books
Hands around the Library: Protecting Egypt’s Treasured Books
by Roth, Susan L. and Karen Leggett Abouraya
Illustrated by Susan L. Roth. Dial, 2012. 32 pages. Ages 7-12

Novels

Where the Streets Had a Name
Where the Streets Had a Name
by Abdel-Fattah, Randa
Scholastic Press, 2010. 320 pages. Age 12 and older

Zahra's Paradise
Zahra's Paradise
by Amir,
Illustrated by Khalil. First Second/Roaring Brook, 2011. 255 pages. Age 16 and older

Driving by Starlight
Driving by Starlight
by Deracine, Anat
Godwin Books/Henry Holt, 2018. 280 pages. Age 12 and older

Moon at Nine
Moon at Nine
by Ellis, Deborah
Pajama Press, 2014. 223 pages. Age 14 and older

The Cat at the Wall
The Cat at the Wall
by Ellis, Deborah
Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2014. 144 pages. Ages 10-13

If You Could Be Mine
If You Could Be Mine
by Farizan, Sara
Algonquin, 2013. 247 pages. Age 13 and older

Only This Beautiful Moment
Only This Beautiful Moment
by Nazemian, Abdi
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2023. 390 pages. Age 14 and older

The Turtle of Oman
The Turtle of Oman
by Nye, Naomi Shihab
Illustrated by Betsy Peterschmidt. Greenwillow, 2014. 299 pages. Ages 7-10

Yara's Spring
Yara's Spring
by Saeed, Jamal and Sharon E. McKay
Annick, 2020. 298 pages. Age 11 and older

Other Words for Home
Other Words for Home
by Warga, Jasmine
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2019. 352 pages. Ages 8-12

Non-Fiction

I Remember Beirut
I Remember Beirut
by Abirached, Zeina
Illustrated by Zeina Abirached. Graphic Universe, 2014. 96 pages. Age 14 and older

Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine
Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine
by Barakat, Ibtisam
Margaret Ferguson Books, 2016. 2016 pages. Age 12 and older

The Cat Man of Aleppo
The Cat Man of Aleppo
by Latham, Irene and Karim Shamsi-Basha
Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu. Penguin Random House/Putnam, 2020. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
by Satrapi, Marjane
Pantheon, 2003. 160 pages. Age 15 and older

Everybody's Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah
Everybody's Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah
by Strauss, Linda Leopold
Illustrated by Tim Smart. Kar-Ben, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 7-10

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