"Heart-piercing Babaks palpable love for his sister emphasizes the novels suggestion that there is power in kindness, even in the face of tragedy. Lush details and taut plotting distinguish this immersive, profound offering. - Publisher's Weekly "A fictional story so utterly real the reader feels it must be true... The setting here mountains, brush and beleaguered cities is vivid and gritty. The characters, especially Sana and Ben, are so authentic you can hear their breath when they speak. The plot is as tight as an ocean-bound ship. But the glory of this book is the way it reaches across cultures and time to find an essential truth: 'What we want others to know, we must teach them.' Superb." - New York Times Babak and Sana are immediately sympathetic and memorable, two children with whom readers can connect among the overwhelming global impacts that the long and brutal war had on millions of people. All too human interactions, like bickering brought on by exhaustion and hunger, deepen the connection that readers will likely have with the pair as the siblings grapple with new situations wildly outside of their comfort zones does fantastic work contextualizing details to orient readers to an Iranian perspective within the more familiar, macro look at the war. - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Gripping a remarkably intimate story of a neutral nation caught between warring powers, seamlessly integrating philosophical questions about God, family, and cross-cultural understanding and suggesting that truly listening to those different from us can be a sacred and transformative act A compelling testament to the power of education and empathy to light the way in even the most perilous circumstances." - Kirkus The artfully detailed setting and strong values depicted through Babaks endeavor to teach others will leave readers inspired. A powerful novel about an often-forgotten region and era that highlights the power of education through shared communication to create bonds. - School Library Journal "A moving celebration of the peace-making power of translation."Jewish Chronicle
