Copyright Date:
2014
Edition Date:
2014
Release Date:
10/21/14
Pages:
238 pages
ISBN:
Publisher: 1-477-82037-X Perma-Bound: 0-605-88520-6
ISBN 13:
Publisher: 978-1-477-82037-7 Perma-Bound: 978-0-605-88520-2
Dewey:
921
LCCN:
2014933778
Dimensions:
21 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
Since the overthrow of the shah, Abbas Kazerooni's once wealthy and influential family has had to sell most of their valuables and negotiate the new regime with trepidation. Iran is at war with Iraq, and when the draft age is reduced to eight, Abbas' father sends nine-year-old Abbas and his mother to safety, first to Turkey and then on to England. When Abbas' mother is denied permission to leave Tehran, young Abbas must go on alone with only his father's careful instructions to guide the way. Kazerooni's memoir tells of both his astonishing luck and his determined resilience in this terrifying journey. He does find some assistance from the beginning, and the danger, though real, is something that takes maturity to fully appreciate, as do the sections on the intricacies of visas, consuls, and backgammon betting pools. Still, young readers will understand his overwhelming loneliness and fear as well as his satisfaction at managing on his own. With child immigrants so much in the news, Kazerooni's unusual, compelling story is especially timely.
He is in a foreign country, he is alone, and he is just a boy.... Abbas Kazerooni is not yet ten, but he's suddenly forced to leave his parents, his friends--his entire world--and flee Tehran. The Iran-Iraq war is at its bloodiest, and the Ayatollahs who rule Iran have reduced the recruitment age for the army. If Abbas doesn't escape, it's almost certain that he will be drafted and die fighting for a regime that has stripped his family of all they have. On his own in the strange, often frightening city of Istanbul, Abbas grows up fast--with little more than his wits to guide him. He must conquer difficult things: how to live on his own, how to navigate a foreign city and culture when he doesn't speak the language, and, most importantly, how to judge who is a friend and who is an enemy. Facing the unexpected as well as the everyday challenges of life on his own, Abbas walks a tightrope of survival--yearning to please the demanding father he has left behind, yet relishing his new found independence. His quick thinking, entrepreneurial spirit, and the kindness of strangers allow him to make the best of his dire situation in surprising ways. Does he have what it takes to not only survive against these challenging odds but achieve his parents' ultimate dream for him: a visa to England, and the safety it represents? This compelling true story of one young boy's courage provides a powerful child's-eye view of war, political tumult, and survival. "Readers of Abbas Kazerooni's incredible memoir will be rooting for him from the very first pages--and not be able to put this book down. His frank narrative is clear, compelling, and utterly endearing. An unforgettable story--I love this book!" --Naomi Shihab Nye, winner of the 2013 NSK Neustadt Prize in Children's Literature "This heart-stopping memoir of a young boy who fled Iran on his own after the 1979 Revolution left me wondering whether adults could be so resilient. Enormously inspiring on many levels!" -Suzanne Fisher Staples, author of Shabanu , a Newbery Honor Book "Abbas Kazerooni offers the world a remarkable memoir as he tells of his escape from revolutionary Iran when he was just a young boy. Faced with the prospect of never seeing his parents again, he struggles to find his way in Istanbul, where survival often depends on his skill in knowing who to trust and when to flee. This is a compelling story full of tension and heartbreak." -Terry Farish, author of The Good Braider , Best Fiction for Young Adults 2013, the American Library Association
Common Core
STEAM
Graphic
Novel
High/Low
Chapter
Book
Large
Print
Series Tracker
Manga
Big
Book
Board
Book
Hot
Title
Adult
Language
Mature
Content
Ebook
Ebook
MUA (Multi User Access)
Light Novel
