DDN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Alia Muhammed Baker - The Librarian of Basra Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh
War and conflict in the world has become a constant in our lives. Maybe someday it won�t be so, but in the meantime, it�s tough to completely shield children from global events. And it can be even harder to talk about.
Children�s books can be a gentle way of handling tough topics. Two recent picture story books distill the complexities of war into subjects children can relate to: library books and cats - giving both parents and teachers a positive opportunity to open up discussions of the Iraq war with their children/students.
Both books - "The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq" a deceptively simple picture book that tells an incredibly moving true story written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter, and Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty - tell the story of Alia Muhammed Baker, the chief librarian of Basra, Iraq, who saved 30,000 books from Basra's library before it burned during the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Both authors were inspired by a July 27, 2003 report: "AFTER THE WAR: THE LIBRARIAN; Books Spirited to Safety Before Iraq Library Fire" in the New York Times by Shaila Devan.
Alia Muhammad Baker�s library in the port city of Basra was a haven for Iraqis who loved books and good discussion. In early 2003, however, most of the talk was about war.
Baker worried that her precious books would be destroyed during fiery battles. The library was full of new books and ancient books. One biography of the Prophet Muhammad Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam was 700 years old.
She asked the governor for permission to move the books to a safer place. He refused. Each night as she left work, she filled her car with books and took them home. But then the war reached Basra, and the streets were filled with fire. There were many books still in the library. A friend in a neighbouring restaurant agreed to hide more books. Other friends helped move them through the night, handing them over the wall.
Nine days later, the library burned to the ground.
�The books stay hidden as the war rages on,� Jeanette Winter writes. "Eventually, the books were moved again to Baker�s home and the homes of friends. A wonderful cross-section shows Baker�s house with books on the windowsills, books in the cupboards, books under the bed, books everywhere."
It�s a powerful tale of individual bravery and the strength of community.
Mark Alan Stamaty is a cartoonist, and Alia's Mission tells the story through graphic cartoon panels. Appropriate for older elementary, middle, and high school students, the book opens by characterizing Alia as a "different kind of superhero." The story "is based on true events in the life of a real person who shows us it's not necessary to see through walls or fly or have any superpowers at all to be a real life superhero.": http://www.epinions.com/content_177172156036
Alia Muhammad Baker and her friends managed to save 70 percent of the library�s collection. Soon after the library was destroyed, the librarian suffered a stroke and had heart surgery.
But, according to a story posted on the U.S. State Department�s Web site in March, the library has been rebuilt by coalition forces and Baker had been reinstalled as head librarian. Jeanette Winter�s publisher is donating a portion of the proceeds from her book�s sales to a fund administered by the American Library Association to help rebuild the Basra Library�s collection. (Source: Rebecca Young - The News Tribune: http://www.thenewstribune.com/ae/books/story/4787821p-4408137c.html)
Both books would be worthy additions to any home, classroom or school library. Please find below brief study guides for each book.
Fi Amman Allaah,
K a r i m a
______________________________
http://www.teachablemoment.org/elementary/iraqstudyguides.html
Study Guide: by Tom Roderick
The Librarian of Basra
by Jeanette WinterShow the children the front cover of the book. The cover depicts Alia amid piles of books. Ask them what they think the story will be about.
Read them the title and subtitle and the name of the author and illustrator (or ask one of the students to do so). Ask, what's a librarian? What does a librarian do? Have they heard of Iraq? What is Iraq? Why has it been in the news? You might show them Iraq on a globe or world map, and ask what they know about the country. Explain that Basra is a city in Iraq.
Now show the children the back cover. The back cover shows a building in flames. Ask them if that changes their ideas of what the story is about.
Read the story through, pausing only if the students have questions.
When you've finished reading the story, ask the students an open-ended question: What do you want to say about the story? What struck you? Do you have questions? Note their questions on the board or a piece of chart paper.
Check the children's comprehension:
- Who is the story mainly about?
- What is Alia worried about?
- When the governor won't help her, what does she do?
- Who helps her?
- How many books does she save?
Help the students deepen their understanding:
- Why are books important?
- Why was it so important to Alia and her neighbors to save the books?
- Why do you think the governor didn't help her?
- How does Alia feel as the war rages on and the library burns down?
- What gives Alia hope toward the end of the story?
- What's a hero?
- Do you think Alia is a hero? Why? Why not?
Help the students connect the story to their own lives:
- Alia worried that the books might be destroyed in the war. Are there things going on in the world that you worry about? What are they?
- Toward the end of the story, Alia dreams of peace and a new library. What are your dreams for the future?
Help students tap their power to make a difference:
- Alia and her friends worked together to rescue the books. What qualities do they have that enabled them to make a difference?
- Has there been a time when you made the world better by something you did? If the students can't think of anything, remind them that small things count, for example, helping your mother, sending a card to someone who is sick.
- What qualities do you have that enabled you to make a difference?
- If your students want to help Alia rebuild her book collection, they can contribute to a fund administered by the American Library Association. Make checks payable to ALA with "Basra Book Fund" on the memo line, and send them to International Relations Office, ALA, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. (For more information, contact the ALA's International Relations Department at 1-800-545-2433 x 3201.)
Study Guide: by Tom Roderick
Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq
by Mark Alan StamatyBegin by creating a web with your students to see what they know about Iraq and the Iraq war.
Write the word Iraq in the center of a large piece of chart paper, and ask the students what comes to mind. Record their responses on the chart paper and draw lines connecting them to Iraq to form a web. Accept all their associations�there are no wrong answers. Continue while interest is high.
When you're done with the web, ask the students what they want to say about the web (what are their observations?). Ask if they have any questions and add their questions to the chart or, if they have lots of questions, create another chart. Correct any misinformation the students have, as revealed by their associations or comments.
After you read the story and show them the cartoons, here are some questions you may want to ask:
1. What do you have to say about the book? What struck you?
2. Did you learn anything you didn't know before? If so, what?
3. Do any new questions come to mind now that you have heard the story?
4. Why does Alia love her job? Why are books special to her?
5. As war approaches, why does Alia worry?
6. Why do you think the governor doesn't help her?
7. Why does the government take over the library and put artillery and soldiers on the roof?
8. What is Alia's plan for saving the library?
9. Does Alia risk getting into trouble by removing the books without permission?
10. Do you agree that Alia is a superhero? Why? Why not? What qualities does Alia have that enabled her to make a difference?Toward the end of the discussion, review the chart with the students' questions. Analyze the questions along the lines suggested in Alan Shapiro's unit on "Teaching Critical Thinking" (The Doubting Game, section 3) on this website.
Ask the students to consider which are the best questions. (A good question is one that, if answered well, will contribute to the students' understanding.) Which questions interest them the most?
For extra or substitute homework, ask for volunteers to research one or more of the questions and report to the class.
If students want to help restore Iraq's libraries, they can contribute to a fund administered by the American Library Association. Make checks payable to ALA with "Basra Book Fund" on the memo line, and send them to International Relations Office, ALA, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. (For more information, contact the ALA's International Relations Department at 1-800-545-2433 x 3201.)
Tom Roderick is executive director of ESR Metro.____________________________________________________________
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