Your Search Results(showing 23)

    • Trusted Partner
      Children's & YA
      January 2011

      The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air

      by Abdo Wazen

      In his first YA novel, cultural journalist and author Abdo Wazen writes about a blind teenager in Lebanon who finds strength and friendship among an unlikely group. Growing up in a small Lebanese village, Bassim’s blindness limits his engagement with the materials taught in his schools. Despite his family’s love and support, his opportunities seem limited. So at thirteen years old, Bassim leaves his village to join the Institute for the Blind in a Beirut suburb. There, he comes alive. He learns Braille and discovers talents he didn’t know he had. Bassim is empowered by his newfound abilities to read and write. Thanks to his newly developed self-confidence, Bassim decides to take a risk and submit a short story to a competition sponsored by the Ministry of Education. After winning the competition, he is hired to work at the Institute for the Blind. At the Institute, Bassim, a Sunni Muslim, forms a strong friendship with George, a Christian. Cooperation and collective support are central to the success of each student at the Institute, a principle that overcomes religious differences. In the book, the Institute comes to symbolize the positive changes that tolerance can bring to the country and society at large. The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air is also a book about Lebanon and its treatment of people with disabilities. It offers insight into the vital role of strong family support in individual success, the internal functioning of institutions like the Institute, as well as the unique religious and cultural environment of Beirut. Wazen’s lucid language and the linear structure he employs result in a coherent and easy-to-read narrative. The Boy Who Saw the Color of Air is an important contribution to a literature in which people with disabilities are underrepresented. In addition to offering a story of empowerment and friendship, this book also aims to educate readers about people with disabilities and shed light on the indispensable roles played by institutions like the Institute.

    • Trusted Partner
      Picture books

      The Lilac Girl

      by Ibtisam Barakat (author), Sinan Hallak (illustrator)

      Inspired by the life story of Palestinian artist, Tamam Al-Akhal, The Lilac Girl is the sixth book for younger readers by award-winning author, Ibtisam Barakat. The Lilac Girl is a beautifully illustrated short story relating the departure of Palestinian artist and educator, Tamam Al-Akhal, from her homeland, Jaffa. It portrays Tamam as a young girl who dreams about returning to her home, which she has been away from for 70 years, since the Palestinian exodus. Tamam discovers that she is talented in drawing, so she uses her imagination to draw her house in her mind. She decides one night to visit it, only to find another girl there, who won’t allow her inside and shuts the door in her face. Engulfed in sadness, Tamam sits outside and starts drawing her house on a piece of paper. As she does so, she notices that the colors of her house have escaped and followed her; the girl attempts to return the colors but in vain. Soon the house becomes pale and dull, like the nondescript hues of bare trees in the winter. Upon Tamam’s departure, she leaves the entire place drenched in the color of lilac. As a children’s story, The Lilac Girl works on multiple levels, educating with its heart-rending narrative but without preaching, accurately expressing the way Palestinians must have felt by not being allowed to return to their homeland. As the story’s central character, Tamam succeeds on certain levels in defeating the occupying forces and intruders through her yearning, which is made manifest through the power of imaginary artistic expression. In her mind she draws and paints a picture of hope, with colors escaping the physical realm of her former family abode, showing that they belong, not to the invaders, but the rightful occupiers of that dwelling. Far from being the only person to have lost their home and endured tremendous suffering, Tamam’s plight is representative of millions of people both then and now, emphasizing the notion that memories of our homeland live with us for eternity, no matter how far we are from them in a physical sense. The yearning to return home never subsides, never lessens with the passing of time but, with artistic expression, it is possible to find freedom and create beauty out of pain.

    • Trusted Partner
      Children's & YA

      The Dinoraf

      by Hessa Al Muhairi

      An egg has hatched, and what comes out of it? A chicken? No. A turtle? No. It’s a dinosaur. But where is his family? The little dinosaur searches the animal kingdom for someone who looks like him and settles on the giraffe. In this picture book by educator and author Hessa Al Muhairi, with illustrations by Sura Ghazwan, a dinosaur sets out in search of animals like him. He finds plenty of animals, but none that look the same...until he meets the giraffe. This story explores identity and belonging and teaches children about accepting differences in carefully crafted language.

    • Trusted Partner

      In the Footsteps of Enayat Al-Zayyat

      by Iman Mersal

      ‘In the Footsteps of Enayat Al-Zayyat’ is a book that traces the life of an unknown Egyptian writer who died in 1963, four years before the release of her only novel. The book does not follow a traditional style to present the biography of Al-Zayyat, or to restore consideration for a writer who was denied her rights. Mersal refuses to present a single story as if it is the truth and refuses to speak on behalf of the heroine or deal with her as a victim, but rather takes us on a journey to search for the individuality that is often marginalised in Arab societies. The book searches for a young woman whose family burned all her personal documents, including the draft of her second novel, and was completely absent in the collective archives. The narration derives its uniqueness from its ability to combine different literary genres such as fictional narration, academic research, investigation, readings, interviews, fiction, and fragments of the autobiography of the author of the novel. The book deals with the differences between the individuality of Enayat, who was born into an aristocratic family, graduated from a German school and wrote her narration during the domination of the speeches of the Nasserism period, and that of Mersal, a middle-class woman who formed her consciousness in the 1990s and achieved some of what Enayat dreamed of achieving but remained haunted by her tragedy. The book deals with important political, social and cultural issues, as we read the history of psychiatry in modern Egypt through the pills that Enayat swallowed to end her life on 3 January 1963, while her divorce summarises the continuing suffering of women with the Personal Status Law. We also see how the disappearance of a small square from her neighbourhood reveals the relationship between modernity and bureaucracy, and how the geography of Cairo changes, obliterated as the result of changes in political regimes. In the library of the German Archaeological Institute, where Enayat worked, we find an unwritten history of World War II and, in her unpublished second novel, we see unknown stories of German scientists fleeing Nazism to Cairo. We also see how Enayat’s neglected tomb reveals the life story of her great-grandfather, Ahmed Rashid Pasha, and the disasters buried in the genealogy tree.

    • Trusted Partner
      Fiction
      2022

      The End of the Desert

      by Said Khatibi

      On a nice fall day of 1988, Zakiya Zaghwani was found lying dead at the edge of the desert, giving way to a quest to discover the circumstances surrounding her death. While looking for whoever was involved in the death of the young singer, nearby residents discover bit by bit their involvement in many things other than the crime itself. ///The story takes place in a town near the desert. And as with Khatibi’s previous novels, this one is also marked by a tight plot, revolving around the murder of a singer who works in a hotel. This sets off a series of complex investigations that defy easy conclusions and invite doubt about the involvement of more than one character. /// Through the narrators of the novel, who also happen to be its protagonists, the author delves into the history of colonialism and the Algerian War of Independence and its successors, describing the circumstances of the story whose events unfold throughout the month. As such, the characters suspected of killing the singer are not only accused of a criminal offense, but are also concerned, as it appears, with the great legacy that the War of Independence left, from different aspects.///The novel looks back at a critical period in the modern history of Algeria that witnessed the largest socio-political crisis following its independence in 1988. While the story avoids the immediate circumstances of the war, it rather invokes the events leading up to it and tracks its impact on the social life, while capturing the daily life of vulnerable and marginalized groups. /// Nonetheless, those residents’ vulnerability does not necessarily mean they are innocent. As it appears, they are all involved in a crime that is laden with symbolism and hints at the status of women in a society shackled by a heavy legacy of a violent, wounded masculinity. This approach to addressing social issues reflects a longing to break loose from the stereotypical discourse that sets heroism in a pre-defined mold and reduces the truth to only one of its dimensions.

    • I Look Like the Moon

      by Muneera Saad Al-Romaihi

      From the window of his hospital bedroom, a child looks out at the moon. The bright, white light is reflected on the child’s smooth, bare head. More than their similarity in appearance, both the moon and the child are symbols of purity and hope. In her delicate and poetic style, children’s author Muneera Saad Al-Romaihi tackles the poignant subject of brave children fighting the battle for their life where they face disease with a smile, and see the light in the heart of darkness.

    • Angry Majid

      by Muneera Saad Al-Romaihi

      Being an only child is not all it’s cracked up to be! Families can be overwhelming, and for Majid, one of four kids, it’s a positive nightmare! His sister always bosses him around, while his other sister plays with his toys without asking. Even his older brother takes pleasure in teasing him and playing pranks on him. Majid is angry and he’s had enough. He wishes more than anything that he was an only child. But what would that really mean? Majid and his mother explore the pitfalls of being an only child, in the hopes of changing his mind.

    • Grandpa Adel Forgets His Way Home

      by Hala Abu Saad

      Angie is worried about her Grampa Adel. Lately, he has been getting confused and he asks the same questions over and over again. One day, he even loses his way home! Angie loves Grandpa Adel and it hurts her to see his mind get foggy as he gets older. Patiently, Angie gently guides him to the answers he seeks by stimulating his memory. On their journey home and along the way, Angie learns about Grandpa Adel’s colorful past, bringing them closer together in laughter and love. Heartfelt and entertaining, a beautiful story about understanding Alzheimer’s disease for young children.

    • Grandma Mariam and the Barley Soup

      by Hala Abu Saad

      Grandma Mariam loves it when Angie and her friends visit her. Even though she is old and and tired and can’t walk around a lot anymore, she shakes off her feelings of loneliness and sadness and truly enjoys every moment she spends with them. Angie and her friends see how Grandma Mariam wistfully remembers the past. When Grandma Mariam tells them stories, her face lights up and her eyes dance with energy. The girls are determined to make Grandma Mariam feel happy and useful at an upcoming party. They convince her to prepare her famous barley soup! Will cooking the soup lift Grandma Mariam’s spirit and make her heart full of happiness once again?

    • The Limits of the Sky

      by Hala Abu Saad

      Angie can’t wait to see her best friend Razan on her visit to Lebanon this spring. She invites her friend to a family picnic and is excited to spend the day together playing games and having fun. But when Razan brings along her cousin, Sama, Angie can’t help but notice that Sama is…different. Will Angie learn to accept Sama and appreciate her uniqueness?

    • Ace Tennis Books - True Champion

      by Puneet Bhandal

      It’s the biggest moment of Storm’s life as a junior tennis player. He has made the final and will now compete for the Rocket Trophy. But Storm feels really nervous. The spectators are cheering for his opponent and he is scared of losing. Storm has to fight his emotions and play his best tennis – there can only be one winner, right?

    • Boxing
      September 2014

      Road to Nowhere, The

      A Journey Through Boxing's Wastelands

      by Tris Dixon

      In the era of boxing's pay-per-view superstars, Tris Dixon invested in a Greyhound bus pass and spent several months traversing America on a shoestring budget, tracking down fighters from yesteryear who had vanished from the limelight. Venturing from New York to Las Vegas and from Toronto to Miami, the young writer - himself a former amateur boxer - sought out coulda-beencontenders and cult heroes from the 1950s to the 2000s, all now faded from popular memory. He visited old people's homes, gyms and too many prisons, discovering that life after boxing can be a cruel place when the ropes are no longer in place to keep fighters safe from the outside world. Dixon meets men who shaped boxing history, fighting the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. He shares their memories and weaves together their forgotten tales over the course of a remarkable American journey.

    • Ace Tennis Books - Sister Rivalry

      by Puneet Bhandal

      Mili is the tennis ace in her family, even though she has difficulty focusing during lessons. “Try harder, do better,” the Coach always tells her. When her little sister, Tara, joins the tennis club and gets more praise, Mili feels sad and envious. She loves Tara and wants to support her, but she doesn’t like being second best. How will Mili deal with these conflicting feelings?

    • March 2010

      Among the Jasmine Trees

      Music and Modernity in Contemporary Syria

      by Jonathan Holt Shannon

      The first ethnographic study of music-making in modern Syria

    • May 2024

      Nurturing Math Curiosity With Learners in Grades K–2

      (Grow your students’ math curiosity.)

      by Rumsey, Chepina

      Building students’ confidence and conceptual understanding early sets a solid foundation for reasoning and exploration. Nurturing Math Curiosity With Learners in Grades K–2 offers educational tools and strategies teachers can use to integrate mathematical argumentation in early elementary classrooms, allowing space for students’ natural wonder and curiosity to shine while, at the same time, providing opportunities for students to see mathematics content in a new light. This book will help K–2 teachers: Discover ways to explore early mathematical concepts Integrate classroom community building, teacher tools, and instructional strategies to nurture an environment of playful exploration Read real examples from teachers who have implemented argumentation in their classrooms Follow the layers of argumentation through an in-depth concrete example Reflect as mathematics learners with features that activate prior knowledge Contents: Introduction Part 1: Nurturing Our Classroom Community and Growing Our Teacher Toolbox Chapter 1: Creating a Vision Chapter 2: Nurturing a Classroom Community Chapter 3: Growing Our Teacher Toolbox Chapter 4: Connecting the Classroom Environment and Teacher Toolbox Through Routines Part 2: Growing the Layers of Argumentation Chapter 5: Exploring the First Layer—Notice, Wonder, and Beyond Chapter 6: Exploring the Second Layer—Conjecturing Chapter 7: Exploring the Third Layer—Justifying Chapter 8: Exploring the Fourth Layer—Extending Part 3: Growing More Mathematical Ideas Chapter 9: Finding Opportunities for Argumentation Chapter 10: Using Children’s Literature to Engage in Argumentation Epilogue Appendix A: Blank Template Appendix B: Choral Counting Appendix C: Number of the Day Appendix D: Number of the Day With Annotations Appendix E: True or False? Appendix F: Mathematical Ideas Across Chapters References and Resources Index

    • Business, Economics & Law

      Well Spent

      How Strong Infrastructure Governance Can End Waste in Public Investment

      by Gerd Schwartz, Manal Fouad, Torben Hansen, Geneviève Verdier

      The book covers critical issues such as infrastructure investment and Sustainable Development Goals, controlling corruption, managing fiscal risks, integrating planning and budgeting, and identifying best practices in project appraisal and selection. It also covers emerging areas in infrastructure governance, such as maintaining and managing public infrastructure assets and building resilience against climate change.

    • Trusted Partner
      Medicine
      April 2023

      Therapeutic Strategies in Veterinary Oncology

      by Chand Khanna, Nicole Amato, Jacob Cawley, Steven Dow, Joelle Fenger, Andi Flory, Ira Gordon, Kayla Harding, Kelvin Kow, Cheryl London, Nicola Mason, Arata Matsuyama, Jonathan Mochel, Anthony Mutsaers, Henrik Rönnberg, Wesley Wierson

      This book is a comprehensive resource for veterinary oncologists and trainees, covering therapeutic strategies used in the treatment of veterinary patients. In the setting of a rapidly changing field like oncology, this timely text focuses on mechanisms of action and biological rationale rather than current specific clinical recommendations, allowing current and future clinicians to adapt treatment approaches as our understanding of the biology of cancer evolves. With each chapter written by experts in their field, this book provides informative figures that convey this biological understanding and rationale of therapy. It starts from the mechanisms of treatment as we currently understand them, covering radiation therapy, chemotherapy options, enzyme therapy, gene editing, inhibitors, and many more. Dispensing vital, detailed and practical information about the different therapeutic strategies available, this book is a vital resource for practicing veterinarians, while also providing students of veterinary oncology with a better understanding of the key differences between different treatment strategies.

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