(3) YA Two teens originally from Mumbai--troublemaker Zarin (a half-Hindu and -Parsi girl) and Porus (a Parsi boy)--die in a car accident in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Told from their points of view before and after death, together with the narratives of local Muslim teenagers, this novel about the constraints of gender, sexual assault, and family conflicts in a theocratic world is complex and multifaceted. Glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) YA In post–Arab Spring Saudi Arabia, Leena and her best friend Mishail delight in small rebellions against their male-controlled, religiously strict society. But Leena's flippancy soon falls away to reveal the precariousness of both girls’ lives. In a growing oeuvre centering on experiences of young Muslim women, Deracine's debut stands out for its nuanced characterization and twisting plot. Arabic vocabulary and Saudi cultural concepts are explained for outsiders without bogging down the prose. Glos.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(4) 4-6 A novelization of Al Mansour's film, Wadjda, about a Saudi girl who eventually gets her wished-for green bicycle (an unusual acquisition for a girl) with prize money from a traditional Quran recitation competition. Wadjda is quirky and independent, and she struggles in her strict Islamic school. While lacking the immediacy of the film, the novel provides an interesting look at life in Riyadh today.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Costume Around the World series. Clothing in most countries is influenced by cultural tradition, practicality, climate, gender, age, and occasion. Photographs and interesting sidebars enhance this accessible series, offering a comprehensive presentation of the origin and function of fashion for each of the featured places. There are five other spring 2008 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Costume Around the World titles: Japan, Mexico, India, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Creation of the Modern Middle East series. These books (most revised and updated) are straightforward histories of Middle Eastern countries (though the area's volatility makes the series immediately out of date). The texts are dry, but they do an adequate job of providing background. Useful maps delineate the region's geography, and the many photographs add interest. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Creation of the Modern Middle East titles: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA Modern World Nations series. These revised and updated volumes examine the geography, population, economy, relationships (some strained) with other countries, and additional topics related to North Korea and Saudi Arabia. Though the books are relatively light on culture and history, report writers may find them useful to gather facts and figures. Photographs of varying quality and relevance appear throughout. Saudi Arabia includes a glossary. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Modern World Nations titles: Saudi Arabia and North Korea.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA Modern World Leaders series. By placing the featured leader in a historical context, this series, part history and part biography, challenges the reader to consider the concept of leadership. Each book features a comprehensive discussion of the subject's childhood experiences and rise to power, significant historical events, international relationships, and ideology. The text is dense; some photographs and drawings help break up the pages. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind. Review covers these Modern World Leaders titles: Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, George W. Bush, Hugo Chávez, The Saudi Royal Family, Pope John Paul II, Vladimir Putin, and Pervez Musharraf.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) K-3 Checkerboard: The Countries series. Each of these country studies discusses history, geography, people, and culture. The short, choppy sentences give report writers some basic information about each country's present-day economy, government, holidays, food, and language. Photos, charts, maps, and text boxes fill out the cursory treatment. "Fast facts," recipe, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Checkerboard: The Countries titles: The Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea.]

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) 4-6 Cultures of the World series. Assured prose and clear color photographs explore the history, geography, and politics of four Middle Eastern nations. The emphasis on everyday life is especially appealing, with chapters devoted to leisure activities, holidays, and the arts; recipes for regional specialties such as baklava and Jerusalem kugel are also included. Each book contains a timeline parelleling national and world events. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Cultures of the World titles: Israel, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) K-3 Holy Places series. A colorful photo accompanies each page of information about the significance of various holy places, including history and references to and comparisons of the religions covered. Large text boxes interrupt the flow of information told in simple, sometimes misleading language. Bodh Gaya, Mecca, and Western Wall offer first-hand accounts from pilgrims. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Holy Places titles: The Ganges, The Golden Temple, The Vatican, Bodh Gaya, Mecca, and The Western Wall.]

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) 4-6 Visual Geography series. In each book in this series, color photos illustrate a dry but informative text that presents the geography, history, government, culture, and economy of each featured country. An accompanying enhanced website offers up-to-date information, additional links, and downloadable material. This comprehensive study provides a worthwhile resource for report-driven readers. A timeline is included. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Visual Geography titles: China in Pictures, Japan in Pictures, Saudi Arabia in Pictures, and India in Pictures.]

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) K-3 Welcome to My Country series. Cursory overviews provide brief tidbits of information about various aspects of these countries. Education, history, government, agriculture, economics, sports, and the arts are some of the topics covered. Though not in-depth, the books in this series do provide a starting point for report writers. Maps, color photos, and a "Quick Facts" section are included. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Welcome to My Country titles: Welcome to Turkey, Welcome to Saudi Arabia, and Welcome to the Philippines.]

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Countries of the World series. Short encyclopedic paragraphs on topics such as history, resources, people, customs, and religion are followed by slightly longer treatments of topics pertinent to the countries, such as Turkish baths or the haj pilgrimage to Mecca. The random organization and long captions on the color photos and maps make the presentation choppy, but the information is accessible and useful. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Countries of the World titles: Saudi Arabia and Turkey.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 True Book series. An informative text is coupled with crisp photographs of a country rarely treated in books for children. History, geography, and economics are the strong points here, but religion and some cultural aspects of life are also highlighted. A sense of the mixture of the traditional and the modern aspects of contemporary life in this religious Islamic country is conveyed; the position of women and girls isn't really described. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Festivals of the World series. Showing how a country's festivals reflect its culture, each volume begins by locating the country on a map and briefly describing its population. While the entries don't have much in-depth information, the accessible style and liberal use of color photographs make these books useful for quick, celebratory tours of each country. Instructions for traditional crafts and recipes are included. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute