The Poet X meets A Very Large Expanse of Sea in a bold
novel-in-verse starring a Persian American teen navigating his first
crush, his family's post-9/11 dynamics, and the role of language in
defining who we are.
"A dazzling story with a whole lot of heart. Read it."--Michael L.
Printz Award winner Daniel Nayeri, author of Everything Sad Is Untrue
"Funny on one page, poignant on the next, and often both at the same
time, this beautiful tale of a tender, bewildered, and generous teen
will find its way into readers' hearts." --#1 New York Times
bestselling author Linda Sue Park
Omid needs the right words to connect with his newly-met grandfather and
distant Iranian heritage, words to tell a special girl what she means to
him and to show everyone that he truly belongs in Tucson, Arizona, the
only home he's ever known. Neither the school play's Shakespearian
English nor his parents' Farsi seems up to the task, and it's only when
Omid delves into the rhymes and rhythms of rap music that he starts to
find his voice. But even as he does so, an act of terrorism transforms
familiar accents into new threats.
Then a family member disappears, and it seems everyone but Omid knows
why. When words fail altogether, and violence takes their place, what
will Omid do next?
