Everything Sad Is Untrue

The unforgettable voice of a young refugee gives thisgroundbreaking autobiographical its beating heart. Capturing theessence of A Thousand and One Nights, from middle schoolhumiliations to wondrous Persian myths, you will find one powerfulnarrative, united by hope for a world that ought tobe.At the front of a middle school classroom in Oklahoma, a boynamed Khosrou (whom everyone calls "Daniel") stands, trying to tella story. His story. But no one believes a word he says. To them heis a dark-skinned, hairy-armed boy with a big butt whose lunchsmells funny; who makes things up and talks about poop toomuch.But Khosrou's stories, stretching back years, and decades, andcenturies, are beautiful, and terrifying, from the moment hisfamily fled Iran in the middle of the night with the secret policemoments behind them, back to the sad, cement refugee camps ofItaly…and further back to the fields near the river Aras, whererain-soaked flowers bled red like the yolk of sunset burst overeverything, and further back still to the Jasmine-scented city ofIsfahan.We bounce between a school bus of kids armed with paper clipmissiles and spitballs to the heroines and heroes of Khosrou'sfamily's past, who ate pastries that made people weep and cry "Akh,Tamar!" and touched carpets woven with precious gems.Like Scheherazade in a hostile classroom, Daniel weaves a taleto save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. And it is (atrue story).It is Daniel's.Critical acclaim for Everything Sad Is Untrue (a truestory):★ "A modern epic."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ "A distinctive voice. A rare treasure of a book."—Publishers Weekly, starred review★ "A story that soars. Readers will betransported."—The Bulletin of the Center for ChildrensBooks, starred review★ "Poignant and powerful. A story of heartbreak andresilience."—Foreward Reviews, starred review