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Arab American Book Award facts for kids

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Arab American Book Award
First awarded 2006
Last awarded Active

The Arab American Book Award, established in 2006, is an annual literary award to celebrate and support the research of, and the written work of, Arab Americans and their culture. The Arab American Book Award encourages the publication and excellence of books that preserve and advance the understanding, knowledge, and resources of the Arab American community by celebrating the thoughts and lives of Arab Americans. The purpose of the Award is to inspire authors, educate readers and foster a respect and understanding of the Arab American culture.

The Arab American Book Award was brought about by the Arab American National Museum and faculty members of the nearby University of Toledo. The winning titles are chosen by groups of selected readers including respected authors, university professors, artists and AANM staff. The Awards are given during an invitation only event in the Fall of the award year. The AANM first gave these awards in 2007 for books published in 2006; for 2007, the number of submissions more than doubled from the inaugural year.

To help ensure the continuity of the Arab American Book Award a special endowment fund has been launched with a $10,000 gift from Drs. A. Adnan and Barbara C. Aswad. Dr. Barbara C. Aswad is Professor Emerita of Anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and a past president of the Middle Eastern Studies Association and a Board Member Emerita for the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), parent organization of the Arab American National Museum. Dr. A. Adnan Aswad is Professor Emeritus of Engineering at the University of Michigan–Dearborn. The Aswads, now based in Los Angeles, were inspired to make the gift after the inaugural Book Award ceremony in Fall 2007.

In 2011, the non-fiction prize was renamed to honor the legacy and contributions to Arab American scholarship of Evelyn Shakir, who died of breast cancer in 2010. In addition to winning the Arab American Book Award for Fiction in 2008, Professor Shakir extensively researched the history of Arab women and wrote the groundbreaking work Bint Arab: Arab and Arab American Women in the United States in 1997. Evelyn's longtime partner, poet George Ellenbogen, established the award in collaboration with the Arab American National Museum.

Chronology change (2009)

In 2009, The Arab American Book Award Committee changed the name of the '2008 Arab American Book Award' to the '2009 Arab American Book Award' in order to reflect the true award date instead of the publication date of the winning books. All dates in the previous Award years were also changed retroactively. While the date within the Award name has changed, the rules regarding the publication dates for eligible submissions have not.

Award recipients

Adult fiction

Winners and honorable mentions in Adult fiction
Year Author(s) Title Result Ref.
2007 Matar, HishamHisham Matar In the Country of Men Winner
2008 Shakir, EvelynEvelyn Shakir Remember Me to Lebanon Winner
Abu-Jaber, DianaDiana Abu-Jaber Origin Honorable mention
2009 Jarrar, RandaRanda Jarrar Map of Home: A Novel, AA Map of Home: A Novel Winner
2010 Adnan, EtelEtel Adnan Master of the Eclipse: And Other Stories Winner
2011 Chehade, Thérèse SoukarThérèse Soukar Chehade Loom: a Novel Winner
2012 Abu-Jaber, DianaDiana Abu-Jaber Birds of Paradise Winner
Matar, HishamHisham Matar Anatomy of a Disappearance Honorable mention
2013 Geha, JosephJoseph Geha Lebanese Blonde Winner
Habra, HedyHedy Habra Flying Carpets Honorable mention
2014 Messud, ClaireClaire Messud Woman Upstairs, TheThe Woman Upstairs Honorable mention
2015 Alameddine, RabihRabih Alameddine Unnecessary Woman, AnAn Unnecessary Woman Winner (tie)
Lalami, LailaLaila Lalami Moor's Account, TheThe Moor's Account
2016 Darraj, Susan MuaddiSusan Muaddi Darraj Curious Land, AA Curious Land Winner
Hassib, RajiaRajia Hassib In the Language of Miracles Honorable mention
2017 Alameddine, RabihRabih Alameddine Angel of History, TheThe Angel of History Winner
Awad, MonaMona Awad 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl Honorable mention
2018 Alyan, HalaHala Alyan Salt Houses Winner
2019 Mahmoud, LenaLena Mahmoud Amreekiya Winner
2020 Lalami, LailaLaila Lalami Other Americans, TheThe Other Americans Winner
Rum, EtafEtaf Rum Woman is No Man, AA Woman is No Man Honorable mention
2021 Abulhawa, SusanSusan Abulhawa Against the Loveless World Winner
Alzayat, DimaDima Alzayat Alligator And Other Stories Honorable mention
2022 Quotah, EmanEman Quotah Bride of the Sea Winner
2023 Abdullah, ChelseaChelsea Abdullah The Stardust Thief Winner (tie)
Naga, NoorNoor Naga If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English

Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award

Prior to 2011, this award was referred to primarily as the Non-Fiction Award.

Winners and honorable mentions in non-fiction
Year Author(s) Title Result Ref.
2007 Khalidi, RashidRashid Khalidi Iron Cage, TheThe Iron Cage Winner
Kayyali, RandaRanda Kayyali Arab Americans, TheThe Arab Americans Honorable mention
Semmerling, Tim JonTim Jon Semmerling “Evil” Arabs in American Popular Film
2008 Karam, John TofikJohn Tofik Karam Another Arabesque Winner
Ellis, RaffRaff Ellis Kisses from a Distance Honorable mention
Nasrallah, NawalNawal Nasrallah Annals of the Caliphs’ Kitchens
2009 Bayoumi, MoustafaMoustafa Bayoumi How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America Winner
Oweis, FayeqFayeq Oweis Encyclopedia of Arab American Artists, TheThe Encyclopedia of Arab American Artists Honorable mention
Makdisi, SareeSaree Makdisi Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation
2010 Orfalea, GregoryGregory Orfalea Angeleno Days: An Arab American Writer on Family, Place, and Politics Winner
Cainkar, LouiseLouise Cainkar Homeland Insecurity: The Arab American and Muslim American Experience After 9/11 Honorable mention
Malek, AliaAlia Malek Country Called Amreeka: Arab Roots, American Stories., AA Country Called Amreeka: Arab Roots, American Stories.
2011 Abu-Absi, SamirSamir Abu-Absi Arab Americans in Toledo: Cultural Assimilation and Community Involvement edited Winner
Omar, Manal M.Manal M. Omar Barefoot in Baghdad Honorable mention
2012 Abdulhadi, RababRabab Abdulhadi, Evelyn Alsultany and Nadine Naber (eds.) Arab and Arab-American Feminisms: Gender, Violence, & Belonging edited Winner
Salaita, StevenSteven Salaita Modern Arab-American Fiction: A Reader's Guide Honorable mention
2013 Shadid, AnthonyAnthony Shadid House of Stone: A Memoir of Home, Family, and Lost Middle East Winner
Al Maria, SophiaSophia Al Maria Girl Who Fell to Earth, TheThe Girl Who Fell to Earth Honorable mention
Al-Jurf, SohaSoha Al-Jurf Even My Voice Is Silence
2014 Al-Ali, NadjeNadje Al-Ali and Deborah Al-Najjar We Are Iraqis: Aesthetics and Politics in a Time of War edited Winner
Alsultany, EvelynEvelyn Alsultany and Ella Shohat Between the Middle East and the Americas: The Cultural Politics of Diaspora edited Honorable mention
el-Haddad, LailaLaila el-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Cultural Journey, TheThe Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Cultural Journey
2015 Howell, SallySally Howell Old Islam in Detroit: Rediscovering the Muslim American Past Winner
2016 Bayoumi, MoustafaMoustafa Bayoumi This Muslim American Life: Dispatches from the War on Terror Winner (tie)
Amer, Mona M.Mona M. Amer and Germine H. Awad Handbook of Arab American Psychology
2017 Salaita, StevenSteven Salaita Inter/Nationalism: Decolonizing Native America and Palestine Winner
2018 Pennock, Pamela E.Pamela E. Pennock Rise of the Arab-American Left: Activists, Allies, and Their Fight Against Imperialism and Racism, 1960s–1980s, TheThe Rise of the Arab-American Left: Activists, Allies, and Their Fight Against Imperialism and Racism, 1960s–1980s Winner
2019 Truzzi, OswaldoOswaldo Truzzi Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo, Winner
2020 Hayoun, MassoudMassoud Hayoun When We Were Arabs: A Jewish Family’s Forgotten History Winner (tie)
Fahrenthold, StacyStacy Fahrenthold Between the Ottomans and the Entente: The First World War in the Syrian and Lebanese Diaspora, 1908-1925
Hafez, SherineSherine Hafez Women of the Midan: The Untold Stories of Egypt's Revolutionaries Honorable mention
2021 Gualtieri, Sarah M.A.Sarah M.A. Gualtieri Arab Routes: Pathways to Syrian California Winner (tie)
Zughaib, HelenHelen Zughaib and Elia Zughaib Stories My Father Told Me
Harb, SirèneSirène Harb Articulations Of Resistance: Transformative Practices in Contemporary Arab American Poetry Honorable mention
2022 Adayfe, MansoorMansoor Adayfe Don’t Forget Us Here Winner (tie)
Saleh, ZainabZainab Saleh Return to Ruin: Iraqi Narratives of Exile and Nostalgia
Suleiman, Michael W.Michael W. Suleiman, Suad Joseph, and Louise Cainkar Arab American Women: Representation and Refusal Honorable mention
2023 Curtis IV, Edward E.Edward E. Curtis IV Muslims of the Heartland Winner (tie)
Zeineddine, GhassanGhassan Zeineddine, Nabeel Abraham, and Sally Howell (Eds.) Hadha Baladuna
Alsultany, EvelynEvelyn Alsultany Broken: The Failed Promise of Muslim Inclusion Honorable mention
Cainkar, LouiseLouise Cainkar, Pauline Homsi Vinson, and Amira Jarmakani (Eds.) Sajjilu: A Reader in SWANA Studies Honorable mention
Mufleh, LumaLuma Mufleh Learning America: One Woman’s Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children Honorable mention

Children's/Young Adult

Children's/Young Adult winners and honorable mentions
Year Author(s) Title Result Ref.
2007 Bunting, EveEve Bunting with Ted Lewin (illus.) One Green Apple Winner
2008 Barakat, IbtisamIbtisam Barakat Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood Winner
2009 Nye, Naomi ShihabNaomi Shihab Nye Honeybee: Poems & Short Prose Winner
2010 No winner
2011 Stanley, DianeDiane Stanley Saving Sky Winner
Addasi, MahaMaha Addasi with Ned Gannon (illus.) Time to Pray Honorable mention
2012 No winner
2013 Leggett Abouraya, KarenKaren Leggett Abouraya and Susan L. Roth Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books Winner
Mafi, TaherehTahereh Mafi Shatter Me Honorable mention
2014 Wakim Dennis, YvonneYvonne Wakim Dennis and Maha Addasi Kids Guide to Arab American History Winner
Hussain, Saima S.Saima S. Hussain Arab World Thought of It, TheThe Arab World Thought of It Honorable mention
2015 Nye, Naomi ShihabNaomi Shihab Nye Turtle of Oman, TheThe Turtle of Oman Winner
Marston, ElsaElsa Marston with Claire Ewart (illus.) Olive Tree, TheThe Olive Tree Honorable mention
2016 No Winner
2017 Chalfoun, MichelleMichelle Chalfoun Treasure of Maria Mamoun, TheThe Treasure of Maria Mamoun Winner
Charara, HayanHayan Charara Three Lucys, TheThe Three Lucys Honorable mention
Barakat, IbtisamIbtisam Barakat Balcony on the Moon: Coming of Age in Palestine
2018 No Winner
2019 Kotb, HodaHoda Kotb I’ve Loved You Since Forever Winner
Daud, SomaiyaSomaiya Daud Mirage Honorable mention
2020 Gharib, MalakaMalaka Gharib I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir Winner
Warga, JasmineJasmine Warga Other Words for Home Honorable mention
2021 Khalil, AyaAya Khalil with Anait Semirdzhyan (illus.) Arabic Quilt, TheThe Arabic Quilt Winner (tie)
Darraj, Susan MuaddiSusan Muaddi Darraj Farah Rocks Fifth Grade
2022 Elhillo, SafiaSafia Elhillo Home is Not a Country Winner
2023 Cathy Camper Arab, Arab All Year Long! Winner (C)
Tlaib, RashidaRashida Tlaib, Adam Tlaib, and Miranda Paul Mama in Congress: Rashida Tlaib’s Journey to Washington Honorable mention (C)
Murad, Nora LesterNora Lester Murad Ida in the Middle Winner (YA)
Nye, Naomi ShihabNaomi Shihab Nye The Turtle of Michigan Honorable mention (YA)

George Ellenbogen Poetry Award

Winners and honorable mentions in poetry
Year Author(s) Title Result Ref.
2009 Hammad, SuheirSuheir Hammad breaking poems Winner
2010 Mikhail, DunyaDunya Mikhail Diary of a Wave Outside the Sea Winner
2011 Mattawa, KhaledKhaled Mattawa Tocqueville Winner
Matuk, FaridFarid Matuk This Is a Nice Neighborhood Honorable mention
2012 Metres, PhilipPhilip Metres Abu Ghraib Arias Winner
Nye, Naomi ShihabNaomi Shihab Nye Transfer Honorable mention
2013 Alyan, HalaHala Alyan Atrium Winner
Adnan, EtelEtel Adnan Sea and Fog Honorable mention
2014 Metres, PhilipPhilip Metres Concordance of Leaves, AA Concordance of Leaves Winner
Matuk, FaridFarid Matuk My Daughter La Chola Honorable mention
Joudah, FadyFady Joudah Alight
2015 Shenoda, MatthewMatthew Shenoda Tahrir Suite: Poems Winner
Hazo, SamuelSamuel Hazo And the Time Is: Poems, 1958-2003 Honorable mention
2016 Handal, NathalieNathalie Handal Republics, TheThe Republics Winner
Metres, PhilipPhilip Metres Sand Opera Honorable mention
2017 Charara, HayanHayan Charara Something Sinister Winner
Camp, LaurenLauren Camp One Hundred Hungers Honorable mention
Kahf, MohjaMohja Kahf Hagar Poems
2018 Elhillo, SafiaSafia Elhillo January Children, TheThe January Children Winner
Tuffaha, Lena KhalafLena Khalaf Tuffaha Water & Salt Honorable mention
2019 Joudah, FadyFady Joudah Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance Winner
Al-Samarrai, NoorNoor Al-Samarrai Cerrito, ElEl Cerrito Honorable mention
2020 Alsous, ZainaZaina Alsous Theory of Birds, AA Theory of Birds Winner
Helal, MarwaMarwa Helal Invasive Species Honorable mention
2021 Abraham, GeorgeGeorge Abraham Birthright Winner
Naga, NoorNoor Naga Washes, Prays Honorable mention
2022 Almontaser, ThreaThrea Almontaser The Wild Fox of Yemen Winner
Bechelany-Lynch, Eli TareqEli Tareq Bechelany-Lynch The Good Arabs Honorable mention
2023 Beck, Zeina HashemZeina Hashem Beck O Winner
Hindi, NoorNoor Hindi DEAR GOD. DEAR BONES. DEAR YELLOW. Honorable mention
Safi, LubnaLubna Safi Your Blue and the Quiet Lament

See also

  • List of Arab American writers
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