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
