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 Welcome to my strand of the worldwide web! Don't worry--it's not sticky. You can make your way around it easily to learn something about me and what I write for young people. And maybe I'll meet you, one of these days!
Although I grew up in Massachusetts and have lived in Indiana for years, much of my writing is about the Middle East--where I've also spent quite a bit of time. I hope that if you're a teacher, you'll find my books, stories, and articles helpful for class discussion. To help get the talk flowing, I've included some "let's talk about" questions for each book. Of course you can read the books and stories on your own, too. (Many adults find them an enjoyable introduction to the Middle East, past and present.)
Here's the big news of 2008! My story "Santa Claus in Baghdad," which first appeared in FIGS AND FATE and is now the title story for my latest book, has been made into a film. The filmmaker is Raouf Zaki of RA Visions, an independent in the Boston area, who somehow managed not only to find a terrific cast--from age six to sixty--but to create colorful, authentic-looking "Baghdad" sets and crowd scenes in Boston, with some backgrounds shot in Cairo. (My granddaughter Savannah is in some of the school scenes...she loved the experience!) The Lebanese musician Marcel Khalife,one of the best-known composers and performers in Arab music today, gave permission for his music to be used in the film. "Santa Claus in Baghdad" premiered at the prestigious Rhode Island International Film Festival in August. (I was thrilled to see the way my story was brought to life!) Among other screenings, it had an SRO premiere for metropolitan Boston, was an audience favorite at the San Diego Children's Film Festival, and received an award from the Kids First! film festival. The film is now available on DVD, which includes educational material such as a discussion guide for classroom use and a "behind the scenes" view of the excitement, confusion, and creativity that go on at a studio shoot. Raouf the Filmmaker wants to make the film--and the insights it offers into better understanding of the Middle East--easily available to public schools. Please see the film's website--www.santaclausinbaghdad.com, also a link from this website--for information about prices. TEACHERS, please note! There will be an online showing of the film on December 9th, 2008, specifically for educators. The "Santa Claus" website (above) gives information on how to obtain the special link for this event. But hurry! This is an unusual opportunity to judge the entire film and its appropriateness for your class. It is suitable for middle school to college, especially in social studies, language arts, geography, and film studies. |
