Amazing Women of the Middle East: 25 Stories from Ancient Times to Present Day - Hardcover

Wafa', Tarnowska

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1623718708 ISBN 13: 9781623718701

Publisher: Crocodile Books, 2020

Synopsis

A superb collection of stories about incredible women from the Middle East

Discover Sheherazade, the famous storyteller, dive into the musical world of the beautiful singer Fairuz and meet Amal Clooney, an outstanding international lawyer. Feel inspired by twenty-five amazing women from the Middle East, who have created a legacy through strength of vision, leadership, courage, and determination. Written by award-winning author and trailblazer, Wafa' Tarnowska, this stunning collection of life stories is illustrated by a team of internationally recognized artists. This book is an absolute must-have!

This book features: 

• Scheherazade, Persia, narrator
• Nefertiti, Ancient Egypt, 1370 BCE, Queen of Egypt
• Queen of Sheba, 1050 BCE, modern-day Ethiopia
• Semiramis, ancient Iraq, 811 BCE, Queen of Babylon
• Cleopatra VII, Egypt, 69 BCE, last queen of Egypt
• Zenobia, Syria, 240 CE, Queen of Palmyra
• Theodora, 497 CE, Empress of Byzantium
• Rabiya al Adawiyya, Iraq, 714, poet
• Shajarat al Durr, Egypt, early 13th Century, Sultana of Egypt
• Hurrem Sultan, Ukraine, 1502, Sultana of Ottoman Empire
• May Ziadeh, Nazareth, Palestine, 1886, writer
• Nazik el Abid, Syria, 1887, activist
• Anbara Salam al Khalidi, Lebanon, 1897, activist and feminist
• Saloua Raouda Choucair, Lebanon, 1916, painter
• Fairuz, Lebanon, 1933, singer
• Zaha Hadid, Iraq, 1950, architect
• Anousheh Ansari, Iran/USA, 1966, astronaut
• Somayya Jabarti, Saudi Arabia, 1970, editor-in-chief
• Nadine Labaki, Lebanon, 1974, film maker and actress
• Amal Clooney, Lebanon/British, 1978, lawyer
• Manahel Thabet, Yemen, 1981, economist and mathematician
• Maha Al Baluchi, Oman, pilot
• Nadia Murad, Iraq, 1993, rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner
• Zahra Lari, UAE, 1995, ice skater
• Azza Fahmy, Egypt, jewellery designer

About this title

About the Authors

Wafa' Tarnowska is an award-winning writer, translator and storyteller. She was born in Lebanon and has worked and lived in several countries. She holds dual Australian and UK nationalities and she sees herself as a cultural bridge between East and West. Wafa' began her career as an Arabic language broadcaster in Australia. Then she became the co-editor of women's quarterly Al Raida. She has translated numerous children's books from Arabic into English and worked on several documentaries, including one which won the Prix L'OEil d'Or for Best Documentary at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. She lives in the United Kingdom with her family.

Margarida Esteves is an illustrator and aspiring author based in London. She holds a Masters degree in Illustration from Camberwell College of Arts UAL and has been working as an illustrator/visual artist for many years now.

Hoda Hadadi is a children's books illustrator living and working in Tehran, Iran. She has illustrated more than forty books for children and has won numerous international prizes, including the New Horizons Bologna Ragazzi Award and the Grand Prix of Belgrade. Amazing Women of the Middle East is her first U.S. picture book.

Sahar Haghgoo is a freelance illustrator. She likes creativity and new shapes. She loves nature and it inspires her, but prefers to use it indirectly.

Christelle Halal is a freelance illustrator and storyboard artist based in Beirut, Lebanon

Reviews

Gr 5-8-This collection describes 25 notable women who lived in the Middle East, from ancient times through the present. Many of the women are prominent political leaders and social activists; others are innovative artists, poets, astronauts, scientists, and athletes. Historical and public figures are highlighted, such as Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Lebanese British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, and Nadia Murad, who is a Yazidi Iraqi and received the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. Each profile begins with an introduction and illustrated portrait followed by two pages of text, ending with an inspirational quote. The sections about the Queen of Sheba and Sheherazade are stylized like folktales with character dialogue, providing an entertaining reading experience. The rest of the biographies are written as informational articles, but the conversational tone will engage readers. The colorful artwork enhances the text. Using distinctive styles and design elements, five different illustrators bring the women to life. The beginning of the text features a map of the Middle East, which includes Palestine. A glossary is included in the back matter. VERDICT Recommended for upper elementary and middle school libraries looking to expand their collected biographies or women's history nonfiction sections.-Maile Steimer, Jones M.S., Buford, GAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Crocodile Books
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1623718708
• ISBN 13: 9781623718701
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Esteves Margarida, Hadadi Hoda, Haghgoo Sahar, Halal Christelle, Meza Esteli
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112