                 "Lines of Scrimmage," in FIRST CROSSING  "The Olive Grove," in SOUL SEARCHING |
My WorksSANTA CLAUS IN BAGHDAD--AND OTHER STORIES ABOUT TEENS IN THE ARAB WORLD
(Indiana University Press, 2008) What do we know about "real people" in the Arab world, beyond the all-too-frequent news of violence and trouble? SANTA CLAUS IN BAGHDAD brings an intimate view of the lives of young people in a variety of Arab societies, from Tunisia to Iraq. It's an expanded edition of my earlier book, FIGS AND FATE, with three additional stories--two of them about edgy subjects, Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the problem of "honor crime." With informative notes on each of the stories, this book offers a window to the Middle East both broad and well focused. It will build on the success of FIGS AND FATE both as a book that individual readers, young and adult, have found enjoyable and provocative, and that many schools have used extensively in class. FIGS AND FATE: STORIES ABOUT GROWING UP IN THE ARAB WORLD TODAY
(George Braziller, Inc., 2005) Five stories set in different Arab societies, about teenagers with the same sorts of hopes and challenges that young people face the world over. FIGS AND FATE received the Middle East Outreach Council award for fiction in 2005. Some further thoughts on FIGS AND FATE....
Did something in the stories about Arab teenagers puzzle or intrigue you, and make you want to know more about the backgrounds these young people come from? These "further thoughts" may answer some questions--and provide ideas for discussion. I hope you'll find them helpful, and I'll welcome your questions or suggestions. SONGS OF ANCIENT JOURNEYS: ANIMALS IN ROCK ART
(George Braziller, 2005) Each animal, etched or painted on Southwestern rock faces long ago, sings of the way it moves through life. These poems, enhanced by photos of actual petroglyph or pictograph images, plus notes about possible interpretations, create a unique introduction to rock art--for all ages. THE UGLY GODDESS
(Cricket Books, 2002) A new story from ancient Egypt! Two teenaged boys--one an aristocratic Greek, the other a poor laborer from a sculptor's shop--set out to rescue a beautiful princess and save Egypt from a terrible fate. Will the unpredictable deity who accompanies them prove to be a help--or a disaster? THE CLIFFS OF CAIRO
(2nd edition, Hoopoe Books, Cairo, 1998; available from Amideast, www.amideast.org) An American teen living in Cairo finds herself caught in a mystery: why is the distinguished-looking art collector so ruthlessly determined to get his hands on the small icon painting that she has just bought from an antiquities dealer? WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST: TRADITION AND CHANGE
co-authored with Ramsay M. Harik (Franklin Watts, 2003) An update of the only book on this subject for teenaged readers (originally published in 1996), this edition includes a chapter on women in Afghanistan plus additional chapters on health and women's movements. Through accurate and balanced information, the book aims at offsetting common stereotypes. Both editions have had excellent reviews; the new edition received the 2003 award for outstanding nonfiction by the Middle East Outreach Council and was selected by VOYA for its 2003 Nonfiction Honor List. MUHAMMAD OF MECCA, PROPHET OF ISLAM
(Franklin Watts, 2001) A straightforward, balanced historical biography of the founder of one of the world's great religions, Islam. Essential reading for better understanding of the roots of Islam and the importance of the Prophet's role and teachings for believers today; appropriate for Muslim and non-Muslim readers alike (grade 5 and up). THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
(Cultures of the Past, Marshall Cavendish, 2002) Following the decline of the great Roman Empire, the Byzantines--from their fabulous capital at Constantinople--withstood continuous attack during their empire's 1000-year history, while producing a culture of great wealth and artistic creation. Like all the books in this series, beautifully illustrated. THE PHOENICIANS
(Cultures of the Past, Marshall Cavendish, 2001) The wealthy city-states of the Phoenicians dominated the Mediterranean world in their days of glory (around 1000-600 BC). But what were these mysterious people--and the famous Phoenician colony, Carthage--really like? THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
(Cultures of the Past, Marshall Cavendish, 1996) Why were the ancient Egyptians apparently so obsessed with death? Were the Great Pyramids really built by "slave labor"--or did the pharaohs have other ways to motivate their people? This book explains Egyptian religious beliefs and how those ideas took shape in a culture that never ceases to fascinate. FREE AS THE DESERT WIND
(Hoopoe Books, Cairo, 1996; available from Amideast, www.amideast.org) When 12-year-old Omar makes friends with one young camel as he helps with the camel drive across the desert, he is torn between compassion and the vital promise he has made to his father. You can find the following books in libraries and on-line services such as Amazon.com, Booksense.com, Powells.com, allbookstores.com. You may also contact me directly, at emarston@ |
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