(2) K-3 Illustrated by Susie Ghahremani. Memory and connections with the "old country" can be important parts of the experience for immigrant families. In this story, a young girl helps her Iranian (as identified in the back matter) grandmother, Nana, tend her garden, while relishing "the stories she tells me about a garden she knows far away." As the two plant and water geraniums, Nana shares tales of "back home," even though the girl doesn't "know where 'back home' is." There were tall cypress trees, fragrant jasmine, lilac, and hyacinth; there was a fishpond, and fruit trees including cherry, mulberry, and pomegranate. Gouache illustrations on vellum represent a modest Western garden in contrast with the lusher, bursting garden of Nana's memories on the facing page. Paisley, floral, and other distinctly traditional Persian designs adorn the pages in saffron yellows, minty greens, and radish-y reds. These embellishments make a visual connection between Nana's new home and her "back home" memories; the book's playful endpapers also capture this design aesthetic. In this gentle tale, stories are like plants that grow in the girl's imagination, taking root to bloom into cultural pride and intergenerational connection. Author and illustrator notes discuss the importance of gardens for many Iranians as well as the importance of cultural transmission.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) YA Marjan Dastani, the daughter of an Iranian immigrant father and an American-born mother (who died when Marjan was seven), has grown up in California with stories that begin "Yeki bood, yeki nabood," or "Once was, once wasn't." Those stories "created a place that was real and not real, at the same time," where the mythical could coexist with the everyday. After her father, a veterinarian, is murdered, fifteen-year-old Marjan finds herself tasked with taking over management of the vet clinic and her father's crumbling finances. She is summoned to England on a mysterious mission, where she learns that her father was leading a double life: he also specialized in the healing of mythical creatures such as griffons, faeries, and gnomes. As Marjan tries to solve the mystery of who killed her father, she is pulled into a secret network in which these legendary beasts are brokered and sold. She must come face to face with who her father really was and with her own feelings of grief. With its blend of fantasy and mystery, the story slowly ratchets up the suspense. It also poses intriguing ethical questions about the conservation of endangered species and the devastating effects of human intervention on the natural world. A hard-to-put-down book with great appeal to fantasy and mythology fans.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(1) YA In this verse novel set in 2001, tenth grader Omid Soltani isn't comfortable in his own skin. As the child of Iranian immigrants living in Arizona, he feels foreign at school (especially in the post-9/11 climate), but never Persian enough with his family. When his grandparents arrive from Iran and he meets them in person for the first time, he feels "frozen in Farsi" with his stilted fluency, isolated from the very people with whom he most wants a connection. He finds a welcome distraction in being cast as Bottom in the school's production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, but gets the most laughs when he plays Bottom's lines in his father's accented English, mocking his own culture for a primarily white audience and underscoring why Shakespeare would create a comical, lovable character and "make him a monster" for entertainment. As Omid grows, he learns to find his voice in his own interpretation of Shakespeare and in rap music that uniquely expresses his experiences. Shahi's poetic form sometimes mirrors the subject matter (a music playlist, a theatrical dialogue, a rap flow); there are many underline-worthy lines of free verse. An unpredictable development in the conclusion may have readers reaching for a tissue (and a comforting playlist). This is a compelling coming-of-age story about finding your own voice and holding on to hope in the face of uncertainty and doubt.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) YA Since we last saw "Fractional Persian" Darius in 2019 Boston Globe–Horn Book honor book Darius the Great Is Not Okay (rev. 9/18), he's come out as gay, and has a boyfriend. Now back in Portland, Oregon, after his family trip to Iran, he's also started an internship at his favorite tea shop, made the varsity soccer team, and found friendship with his teammates. If only boyfriend Landon wasn't pressuring him for sex; he wasn't experiencing feelings for a teammate; and his dream job was living up to expectations. Add in his ongoing battle with clinical depression, his family's financial troubles and other worries, and not knowing why best friend Sohrab in Iran isn't answering his calls, and it's clear Darius deserves better. Khorram's emotional second book addresses many serious issues but is grounded in everyday life. Through Darius's intimate, conversational narration, Khorram provides moments of levity (mortification after an interrupted make-out session; a "catastrophic hull breach," a.k.a. an unfortunate kneeing during practice) as well as insight into Darius's insecurities (he's self-conscious about his appearance, new to dating, and prone to crying while on his medication). Darius's honest exploration of his sexual identity builds upon the growth he experienced with his cultural identity in the first book, and leaves readers curious and hopeful about where his journey will take him next.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(2) YA Framed loosely as his twelve-year-old self's responses to a series of school assignments, Nayeri's fictionalized memoir swirls through his own memories as well as stories from his family history, circling around major events and pausing to include his Oklahoma classmates' reactions to his tales of early childhood in Iran. This structure means the story takes some time to pick up speed--which it does once it goes into more focused detail about Nayeri's family's journey: their quick escape from Iran after his mother's life was threatened because she had converted to Christianity; his father's decision to stay behind. The buildup comprises tangent upon tangent--Nayeri alludes frequently to Scheherazade's stringing together of stories in the 1,001 Nights--but those tangents are absorbing and full of universalizing detail and humor (there's more than one poop anecdote). This tale is constantly focused on its telling, with references to an imagined audience and reminders of who characters are. The actual audience is a bit of a puzzle, as the twelve-year-old narrator's tale spans a wide range of ages in his life and those of his family members, and the overall sensibility seems more adult than not. An author's note acknowledges the fallibility of memory as well as some deliberate alterations; it is, as Nayeri puts it, "both fiction and nonfiction at the same time."

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) K-3 Kheiriyeh bases her entertaining, heartfelt story on memories of family outings to the beach. Narrator Rashin compares the (sex-segregated) beach in her birthplace of Iran to her new beach in Brooklyn; she especially misses her best friend and saffron ice cream. A sensory text evokes the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes experienced along the journey from each home to the beach. The textured oil and acrylic illustrations are bright and colorful, with context-setting touches.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(2) YA Sophomore Darius Kellner struggles with clinical depression, disconnection from the Persian half of his heritage, and constant awareness of his (white) father's disappointment in him. While visiting his grandparents in Iran, Darius meets Sohrab, a Bahá'i young man, and a tender and natural friendship begins. Khorram's debut novel is an affectionate portrait of Iran and an exploration of understanding one's identity--both personally and culturally.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) YA Just after 9/11, Iranian American teen Shirin is jaded by the Islamophobic attitudes of classmates who see her as either "the Taliban" or "an exotic specimen." She copes by intimidating others with her acerbic wit and by stereotyping white Americans--until she falls for the star of the boys' basketball team. A quirky, broadly appealing romance that also explores white privilege, microaggressions, and the effects of stereotyping on young Muslim women.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam

(4) YA With Earth inhospitable, twenty-four teens vie for six spots on a mission to colonize Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. As they train, Italian championship-swimmer Leo and Iranian American science-whiz Naomi begin to doubt what they've been told about Europa and the risks they're taking. Their romance is rushed, but the mystery behind Europa is the real draw; Monir leaves plenty questions to answer in future installments.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) YA This funny, engaging memoir focuses on the Iranian American author's teenage years after she discovers that she and her family are undocumented immigrants. Despite her fear of deportation, Saedi was equally preoccupied with the trappings of teenage life: finding a boyfriend, achieving clear skin, and keeping her unibrow at bay. Saedi's irreverent voice buoys a warm story of an immigrant family's adjustment to American life. Black-and-white snapshots are interspersed throughout.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Fifteen-year-old Daria Esfandyar is part of a close-knit group of Iranian Americans living in Los Angeles. After stumbling upon a surprising revelation about her past during a school project, Daria embarks on a journey to find answers about herself and her family, gaining self-confidence in the process. The well-drawn and diverse cast of Daria's friends and family members adds a unique and memorable angle to the story.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) 4-6 Recently moved from Compton to Newport Beach, Zomorod Yousefzadeh has started calling herself Cindy to fit in. But late-1970s world politics keep her ever aware that she's Iranian. Dumas's semi-autobiographical children's-book debut is funny, affecting, and nuanced--rife with depictions of racism kids of color and immigrants still face; these serious notes are balanced with preteen antics and melodramas of which Blume would be proud.

Reviewer: Sarah Hannah Gomez | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(4) YA Suspended series. Fast-paced, slangy first-person narratives focus on the story behind each protagonist's suspension and touch on issues such as bullying, racism, cheating, and coming out. Short chapters and wide margins make this school-centered, high-interest series a good choice for low-reading-level teens, even if the moral messages are heavy-handed. Covers feature edgy photos of a diverse selection of teens. Review covers these Suspended titles: A Cut Too Far, The Confessional, Testing the Truth, Over the Tracks, and High Drama.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) YA Darius, an Iranian American Army Ranger, is captured in Afghanistan and appears to have turned traitor. Kamran, his younger brother, believes Darius has been coerced and sets out to prove his innocence. Kamran experiences hair-raising adventures and narrow escapes as he foils a major terrorist attempt during the Super Bowl. This fast-paced novel is contrived and improbable but will be a page-turner for thriller buffs.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(2) YA Sixteen-year-old Iranian American Leila finds herself in a secret relationship with new girl Saskia--who reveals herself to be a master manipulator. Leila turns to an old friend, Lisa; when their friendship turns romantic, Saskia threatens them as well as their friends, who rally in support of the couple. Leila's clever first-person narrative lightens what, in less capable hands, could be an angsty story.

Reviewer: Amy Pattee | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014