Our calendar is a working document that includes titles that we know of that feature Muslim protagonists, Muslim authors, or settings where a significant portion of the population is Muslim. We have included some adult titles that have YA appeal, but the majority of our calendar is kidlit.
We also include fantasy and sci-fi works by Muslim authors, with the intent to highlight the work of Muslim authors, but understand that this does not mean that characters are Muslim or assumed to be Muslim. There is power in speculative fiction/fantasy/scifi world building in general in exploring issues related to the real world. On top of that, authors of color, particularly BIPOCQ women, give greater exploration to issues of race and gender when it is easier to fall back on tropes. For more information please read on the importance of Octavia Butler , The Dark Fantastic by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, and Speculative Worlds of Color by Jewel Davis.
We understand the nuances of identity and that categorization of books can lead to erasure, as often being Middle Eastern or Arab is conflated with being Muslim. For more information please read this feature article on the We Need Diverse Books website by Susan Darraj on the diversity of Arab America. Please also see this Twitter thread by Emily Khilfeh on Ownvoice Books by Middle Eastern authors.