It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

Delightful book about being a sixth grade Iranian immigrant during the Iran hostage crisis -- hard, yet hopeful, and full of funny moments. Particularly good at portraying what it's like to be the translator kid -- the bridge for your parents between the weird new culture and the old one. I like Cindy's voice, because she's fierce, in her own way, without being disrespectful. I also really like that it's based on some of the author's experiences. Well written, great read.

Zomord Yousefzadeh (who goes by Cindy, because, well, Zomorod, in America?) has moved to California from Iran in the late 1970s, and is struggling to make friends and belong in American schools and neighborhoods, but she loves America and American culture. At the same time, she loves her Iranian roots. She does make some friends (and some not so friendlies as well) but then the Iranian Revolution happens, along with the capture of the American hostages there, and it's on the news all the time. Anti-Iranian sentiments in the U.S. grow to fever pitch, her father loses his job, and the situation gets more and more dire.
Dumas does an amazing job of telling this semi-autobiographical tale, giving a realistic and factual portrayal of the show more times, the political turmoil, and the anti-Iranian attitudes and how this Iranian family is affected by it... but at the same time, there are heavy doses of humor, and typical middle-school fun/chaos/drama to keep the book from getting bogged down with heavy material.
Beautifully told, you can't help but love Cindy, and her friends Carolyn, Howie and Rachel. You'll love her father, and have a great deal of sympathy for her mother. A number of other characters make brief appearances, most of which are fun. A++ show less

It's the summer before sixth grade, and Zomorod Yousefzadeh's family is moving to Newport Beach, California. Zomorod decides that this is the perfect time to adopt a more American-sounding name, so she selects Cindy and sets off to brave the wilds of middle school. Little does she know that one of the defining events of her middle school years will be the revolution and hostage crisis in her family's home country, Iran.

I never would have guessed that I'd write the phrase, "a heartwarming middle-grade novel about the Iranian Hostage Crisis," but there you have it! This book is sweet and funny, and the characters are well-developed and true to life. The story is semi-autobiographical, and the author has clearly not forgotten how it feels show more to be a middle-schooler. Portions of the book did feel a bit didactic, but I feel that the author did a good job of incorporating a large amount of historical context, and it was necessary to the story, especially since these events are not likely to be familiar to much of the target audience. I know I learned a lot! Here's hoping this book finds the wide audience it so richly deserves. show less

This book was so much fun! First of all, I’m only three years older than “Cindy,” so the historical setting was very clear to me, from gauchos to Captain & Tenille to puka shell necklaces. (Just gonna plead the 5th on which of those I was a fan of.)

Historical context aside, I was also a bookish, nerdy girl with a parent who wasn’t “from America”, just looking for a place to fit in. I identified with Cindy’s journey as she found a core group of friends who appreciated her for who she was. Their honest curiosity about her heritage and their desire to understand the turbulent events in Iran are heartwarming.

Not all of the adults in the story are so sympathetic—and it wouldn’t be a good story if they were.
Cindy’s despair show more as events go from bad to worse rings true, including her self-isolation from her friends. The conclusion, however, is a good one. Some might find it to be too good to be true, but I believe in the goodness in people. Besides, the book leans strongly on the author’s own life.

This is a great entry into bringing other cultures and ideas into a predominantly white middle-grades market. It has “award-winner” written all over it.

Possible Objectionable Material:
There’s no cursing, and only the mildest of crushes. Some racism and sexism exist. The world events of the time could be troubling to the highly sensitive. Discussion of religion—including that Jews, Christians, and Muslims all worship the same God. Cindy doesn’t tell her parents the entire truth sometimes.

Who Would Like This Book:
Those who enjoy learning about other cultures and not-too-distant history. While most of the characters are female, it doesn’t read as “girly”. Short chapters (kind of reminds me of The House on Mango Street in this way) make it a quick read, not too overwhelming for reluctant readers. Lexile Measure: 730

Thank you, NetGalley, for a great read! show less

Zomorod is eleven and has moved four times. She decides life will be different here in Newport Beach, California. It’s a nicer town than her previous one, Compton, California. She also decides that her Iranian name elicits too many questions, so she decides on a more American name, Cindy. Armed with a new name, new bedroom furniture, and new town, Cindy is ready to meet people. Her first friend is Cindy--known as Original Cindy because that’s her real name. Original Cindy is horse crazy and wants to spend her time tanning. Once school starts, Original Cindy finds Cindy boring, so she dumps her.

Cindy starts school alone, but this solitary life lasts a short time. Cindy quickly makes friends with friendly 6th graders. One friend is show more Carolyn who wants to be a reporter one day. She asks many questions, and Cindy doesn’t mind answering her questions about Iran because Carolyn is sincere in her desire to learn. It’s what happens that makes this novel so interesting. Iran has a revolution where the shah (king) is removed from power. This event is explained well in this novel. This transfer of power concerns Cindy and her family because their families still live in Iran and they plan on returning there. The new ruler institutes his version of religious laws, which remove all freedoms from women and require their dress to be extremely conservative. People in the United States begin to distrust Iranians who live in the US because Iranians took American hostages. Consequently, Cindy and her family are treated with hate, which Cindy hides from them. Once her father loses his job, they can’t stay in the US if he isn’t employed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. It explains an event I well remember from my childhood and has information that is helpful in our current dealings with Iran. I also laughed out loud several times because Cindy is so American and she’s funny when dealing with her mother who doesn’t understand America. Her mother is really a caricature of a foreigner, but her father has more depth. My favorite line is from Cindy’s father: “If I had one son and one daughter and could only educate one of them, I would educate my daughter. You know why? A girl without an education has now power; she is always at the mercy of others” (218). show less

Zevi and I both read this book and really liked it. I thought it was well written and honest. It was clever, but some of the humor bothered me because the life of the protagonist was so difficult! I was surprised by, and very much liked the ending because it shows that so many people have so many different sides to them. I also am pleased that it provided hope for young adults, the intended audience.

"Cindy" moves to Newport Beach. She's Iranian and her dad is working in the U.S. on assignment. An exploration about what it is like to be an immigrant in American, what it is like to be a kid that needs to explain and translate for her family, what it is like to try to fit in. When Iran is on the news nightly during civil unrest and later the hostage crisis of 1979, Cindy is expected to explain current events in her former country to those in the United States and faces discrimination. She makes some great friends and has a super supportive family. The text is woven with humor in addition to the serious stuff.