Middle Asia

In this inspiring novel about girls using their collective power to improve their lives, an eighth grader starts a podcast to protest the unfair dress code enforcement at her middle school—and sparks a rebellion. "A much-needed reminder that certain fights are worth fighting, that while bears...

A stunning portrait of the magnificent splendor of ancient Persia and its enduring legacies for today's Iran. “A brilliant feat of resurrection.” -Tom Holland, author of Dominion The Achaemenid Persian kings ruled over the largest empire of antiquity, stretching from Libya to the steppes of...

Imagine if you were told where to live and work, that your country's leader was an all-powerful god, and that if a relative did something wrong, your whole family would be punished. That is life in North Korea. In our story, after tragedy steals 14-year-old Dae's parents away, he tries to escape to freedom. Experience the challenges and adventures through his eyes in this unforgettable story of hope.The Survival Series that celebrates the awesome history of us. Asian/Pacific American Award for Children's Literature winner Ellie Crowe and bestselling children's author Scott Peters tell this ...

This landmark book, first published in 1978, remains one of the most influential books in the Social Sciences, particularly Ethnic Studies and Postcolonialism. Said is best known for describing and critiquing "Orientalism", which he perceived as a constellation of false assumptions underlying Western attitudes toward the East. In Orientalism Said claimed a "subtle and persistent Eurocentric prejudice against Arabo-Islamic peoples and their culture."

“Jenkins is one of America’s top religious scholars.” —Forbes magazine The Lost History of Christianity by Philip Jenkins offers a revolutionary view of the history of the Christian church. Subtitled “The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia—and...

A new history of Assyria, the ancient civilization that set the model for future empires. "Truly extraordinary." —Times (London) At its height in 660 BCE, the kingdom of Assyria stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. It was the first empire the world had ever seen. Here...

A young witch must pass a coming-of-age quest or risk losing her magic forever in this enchanting fantasy -- perfect for fans of Kiki's Delivery Service and Aru Shah and the End of Time. Sometimes all you need is a pinch of magic... Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch...

In her first novel since winning the Newbery Medal for When You Trap a Tiger, Tae Keller offers a gripping and emotional story about friendship, bullying, and the possiblity that there's more in the universe than just us. Sometimes middle school can make you feel like you're totally alone in the...

I’d planned the perfect vacation, including a massive surprise for my husband: his best friend, Nick, had agreed to join us. Then arrived in the quaint Oregon coast town, to discover that my cheap vacation rental was a one-room cabin not a two bedroom cottage. And the beds? They were right next to each other. I could reach out and touch Nick, if I wanted to. Not that I wanted to. Waking up to my husband’s body pressed close and Nick only a few feet away was electrifying. And when Nick opened his eyes and caught us doing a little more than we should have, things took a sexy turn. Soon, ...

"Lei and the Fire Goddess blends preteen angst and beloved Hawaiian moʻolelo in a way that hasn't been done before." —Auliʻi Cravalho, actress and voice of Disney's Princess Moana Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part-Hawaiian Anna Leilani Kamaʻehu thinks when she...

What if everything you thought you knew about race, geography, and human history was incomplete? For centuries, the world has been taught a simple narrative: Blackness belongs to Africa. Asia and the Middle East are something else. But history tells a different story. Across the forests of Southeast Asia, the deserts of Arabia, the coasts of India, and the islands of the Pacific live black populations whose presence challenges everything we think we know. They are dark-skinned. They are ancient. They are indigenous. And yet—they have been overlooked. Hidden in Plain Sight takes you on a ...

Afghanistan traces the historic struggles and the changing nature of political authority in this volatile region of the world, from the Mughal Empire in the 16th century to the Taliban resurgence today. Thomas Barfield introduces listeners to the bewildering diversity of tribal and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, explaining what unites them as Afghans despite the regional, cultural, and political differences that divide them.

NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family’s Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS...

The brilliance of the Renaissance laid the foundation of the modern world. Textbooks tell us that it came about as a result of a rediscovery of the ideas and ideals of classical Greece and Rome. But now bestselling historian Gavin Menzies makes the startling argument that in the year 1434...

In sumptuous and illuminating detail, Simon Winchester, the bestselling author of The Professor and the Madman (""Elegant and scrupulous""—New York Times Book Review) and Krakatoa (""A mesmerizing page-turner""—Time) brings to life the extraordinary story of Joseph Needham, the brilliant...

What happens when a nomadic tribe rises from the steppes of Asia to rule over three continents for more than six centuries? The Ottoman Empire was more than just a dynasty of sultans and battles—it was a civilization that shaped the course of history. From the fall of Constantinople to the height of Suleiman’s reign, from the might of the Janissaries to the struggles of the 19th century, this empire’s story is one of ambition, triumph, resilience, and eventual decline. The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire: How a Nomadic Tribe Transformed the Middle East, Europe, and Beyond takes ...

A stunning exploration of the Greater Middle East, where lasting stability has often seemed just out of reach but may hold the key to the shifting world order of the twenty-first century “Engaging . . . Even those who resist Kaplan’s tragic sensibility have much to learn from his look at the...

A New York Times Bestseller The riveting story of a heroic girl who fights for her belief that water should be for everyone. Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is...

Throughout history there have been legends and mythologies of unusual and even bizarre residents and even visitors to this planet. From Hairy Hominoids to strange Lakemonsters, to falls of odd artifacts from the skies as well as even stranger luminous ones. To a zoologica of alien big cats and other strange creatures and Teachers from the planet Venus and the Pleiedes Constellation to lights blazing in the skies during earthquakes. From Gods to Demons, to Angels and Lucipher himself. To ear-aches and sunburns during interactions with luminous and electromagnetic phenomena. What if there was...

In just over a hundred years - from the death of Muhammad in 632 to the beginning of the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 - the followers of the Prophet swept across the whole of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. Their armies threatened states as far flung as the Franks in Western Europe and the Tang Empire in China. The conquered territory was larger than the Roman Empire at its greatest expansion, and it was claimed for the Arabs in roughly half the time.