Eureka!

Alia's Mission

Publication Information

Author: Stamaty, Mark Alan

Illustrator: Stamaty, Mark Alan

Title: Alia's Mission

Date: 2004

Publisher: Knopf

City: New York

ISBN, paperback: 0-375-83217-3

ISBN, hardback:

Recommended audience:

ABE/ABLE: Yes

ESOL: Yes

Family: Yes

Young Adult: Yes

Picture: Yes

General Information:

Book Type(s): graphic novel, nonfiction, true story

HSE Descriptor(s): social studies| language arts - reading

Summary:

This graphic storybook/graphic novel is based on the true story of the chief librarian at the Central Library in Basra, Iraq. It tells the story of how she tried to save the books from destruction during the Iraq War.

Teaching Ideas:

Teachers can use this book in a text set on libraries, and particularly pair the book with Winter's The Librarian of Basra. Students may want to consider the graphic nature of the book-- do they like it? Why? How might the story have been different if it had been illustrated more traditionally? The book could also be used with Faithful Elephants to explore the "less newsworthy" aspects of war or used with Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand to explore community support/ problem-solving. Students may want to discuss/ write about the role of libraries in the community, in cultures, in history. Readers may want to locate Basra on a map and to look online for more about Basra and Persian culture.

Teaching Strategies: