This is a post that I’ve been mulling over in my head for days if not weeks and months. I’ve used this blog in the past to sort through my thoughts and feelings of world events, of events happening in my own life and in the life of my library. I have tried for a long time to keep my blog apolitical, but there comes a point where having a platform to speak means using it when you need to. Now, I’m not going to go straight to political posts (that’s not the type of person I am), so you won’t have to worry, but there is a quote from Martin Niemöller that continues to pop-up on my Facebook feed. If you haven’t seen it: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” So this is me standing up and speaking out. And, because I am a person of privilege, (white, female, cisgender, well-educated), I cannot continue to stand idly by while there are people in my own community who are afraid they are not welcome in my library because they are Muslim, because I know too many people with disabilities for someone to mock openly on television, because with the current budget choices being made my job could be in jeopardy, because as a woman I have my own rights to protect and because it’s the right thing to do. I want my blog to be able to help to educate and bring the community together in kindness because this world could use a little more kindness all around. You won’t see ranting about the state of affairs in the world, you will most likely begin seeing posts directly reflecting the world around us. So maybe you can use this information for a book display, a storytime, a reference guide for book suggestions or maybe you’ll check out some books to share with your own family. Without further ado, here’s a wonderful list of books written about Middle Eastern characters, enjoy! Picture Book Titles: Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad by James Rumford Under the Ramadan Moon by Sylvia Whitman Ilyas and Duck Search for Allah by Omar Khawaja The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams My Name Is Bilal by Asma Mobin-Uddin The Sandwich Swap by Raina Al Abdullah Mirror by Jeannie Baker Deep In the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan Middle Grade Titles: Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up In Turkey by Ozge Samanci The Green Bicycle by Haifaa al Mansour The Garden of My Imaan by Farhana Zia When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi Nasreddine by Odil Weulersse She Wore Red Trainers by Na’ima B. Robert Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorenzi The Red Pencil by Andrea Pinkney Young Adult Titles: It Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas Written In the Stars by Aisha Saeed Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah Moon At Nine by Deborah Ellis