Welcome to Litsy!

Part autobiographical part fiction, this focuses on an Iranian expat and her family trying to make a life in CA during the Islamic Revolt and the subsequent hostage crisis. Though this tackles really difficult topics both personal and historical, it‘s written with lots of humor in the day to day scenes and strikes a nice balance for MG readers. #BBRCMiddleGradeClowningAround @LibrarianRyan

“To all the kids who don‘t belong for whatever reason. This ones for you.”

I would use this book in my classroom to set a theme of the importance of valuing your peers!

I loved this book because it is so relatable to when I was a child so I feel middle schoolers in particular can also really relate. The story line is about a girl who is new to a school and her hope she has for fitting in is shot down when people hear news of her homeland. I think this book is great for children as it has many lessons to be taught!

#fallisbooked #yellowcover

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read this a couple months ago and hands down, my favorite mg read of the year. I loved everything about this book. A young Iranian girl living in Newport Beach, California navigates friendships and middle school all the while dealing with being an immigrant during the Iranian hostage crisis on the late 70's early 80's. Laugh out loud funny and heart felt, I rooted for Cindy and her family the entire time.

“As I walk home that day with my heavy backpack, I know one thing. All the kids already have friends and there's no room for newcomers.“

I like how this book is narrated by Cindy in the present tense. She guides young readers through Iran's complicated realities.

This book tells the story of the new kid on the block, Zomorod (Cindy). She is determined to start fresh but fitting in becomes more difficult as Iran (1970) makes U.S. headlines with protests, revolution, and finally the taking of American hostages. Nothing can distract Cindy from the anti-Iran sentiments that creep way too close to home. I think this would be a good book for kids to read because it talks about the struggles of fitting in.

“To all the kids who don't belong, for whatever reason. This one's for you.“

This seems so powerful and I feel it is a big topic for children to learn about. I would keep this for the older children in this age range.

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas is a piece of contemporary realistic fiction. It was published in 2016. This book is set in the 1970's and is about Cindy who has moved for the 4th time in her life. She wants to rebrand herself and come out of her shell, but this is hard because of the anti-Iran sentiments that creep to close to home. I think this is a good topic for children to learn about and help kids facing injustice feel better.

This realistic fiction book contains real life concerns like moving. A lot of times, this is a big aspect of what kids might be going through. I remember how many new kids showed up each year when I was in Elementary! It also handles a hard topic like race and social injustice it might possess. I also like the fact that the race being portrayed it different than usual and outside circumstances rather than just black vs. white!

I feel like this book gives diversity that can be applicable to students feeling left out. Not only does it touch on race, but it also talks about moving around a lot. With this book students might be able to embrace their culture and find a place in the society they are in.

1. Tagged. Read it earlier this summer and it was excellent.
2. Crunchy all the way.
3. Sunset
4. A new air conditioner. 🥵😒
5. 7th grade. Mr. Ulmer was one of my all time favorite teachers.

#friyayintro @howjessreads

I chose this book based on the title alone, and I am so glad I did! This was such a wonderful book. Set in late 1970s California, it tells the story of “Cindy” and her family, who are originally from Iran. Cindy is struggling to find her place at a new school, while her family also has to deal with the impact of the revolution in Iran and how it will impact them in the US. I learned so much about what took place in Iran through this book. 👇👇

🎶 Schooooool‘s out for summer!!!!! AND, I am kid free for a week!!! Still doing grad work, but it is SO much more enjoyable by the pool!
#teachersoflitsy

"What I really want to say is that I am so angry..."

What a cool title!!

This book highlights what it is like to be an immigrant in a new environment. I think it is good for kids that may not be aware of what this experience is like and it will let them empathize more with immigrants in the future and help understand things from another's point of view.

It was only when I stopped pretending to be someone else that I found my real friends.

Not book related but books were discussed 😀& it was a fun break in my day to catch up with a food blogger friend who is from Oahu but lives in Japan. Every year for the past 8 years we get together when she is in town. Today it was falafel sandwiches & Moroccan mint tea & gelato for dessert. (I had apple pie ala mode) 😋🍦We exchange little treats & she brought me green tea, fancy dashi broth mix & a cute handkerchief with cats on it. #friendship

Eleven-year-old Zomorod has moved four times in her short life, starting with her family's move from Iran to America. Starting over yet again and now entering middle school, Zomorod decides to go by "Cindy" to make the new girl transition a bit easier. She does make some friends despite having to sidestep ignorant questions about camels and other perceived notions of her culture; and that's only if people realize she and her family aren't Mexican.

I related so much to the immigrant experience and her parents. Except my parents never did let me go to summer camp. This was me but from Argentina 🇦🇷. Without the hostages to worry about.
Although I do remember getting into arguments with a couple kids from a British family over the falkland island war back in the 80s. Totally not relatable to her experience.

I can relate to the author. I had immigrant parents and craved to just be normal. Which is hilarious that so much of my later life has been spent going against the grain. Being from Iran is much different than Argentina. But in the 70s, Argentina was about as weird as Iran.

Loved, loved, loved this book. I want to put a copy of it in everyone's hand and in every library. It's not heavy or deep, but it is. The prose is not lyrical or haunting, but it is. It's just so straightforward and honest. I really hope this is a book that #teachersoflitsy use in their classrooms.

"People who hate just happen to be the loudest. "

Why does this have to be true?
?????

#yellowcovers #riotgram

Look what I found without even trying! And one of them is my current read. 😊

Persians and not buying stuff unless it's on sale...😄😄😄 Yeah, I've seen that before!

Middle grade books often don't really appeal but this one is interesting so far. I can hear the Persian words in my head, though I know maybe a dozen words in Persian if that.

A little late to post but this is reading plan for March! Finally started utilizing my local library more. #tbr #marchintoreading @RealLifeReading

Took me a bit to get into this book. I wasn't feeling 10 year old girls. Once it got more into the Iranian Revolution and the hostage crisis, I was more interested.

Leeroy, on the other hand, never got into the book. He's not a big reader. #petsoflitsy #catsoflitsy #readharder2017

In Persian culture, it's considered polite to finish all your food & ask for 2nds (& 3rds). Here's Moxie, being polite.

Unlike her, I finished all my reading and don't feel the need for 2nds. I enjoyed "It Ain't So Awful" while I was reading it, but it wasn't unputdownable.

It's got some funny bits & plenty of digestible info about the Iran Hostage Crisis in the 70s but the format (lots of little chapters) made it too easy to get distracted.

Time for a middle grade book palate cleanser after reading lots of romance and Gillian Flynn! #middlegrade #whatimreading

12yo started back at school yesterday and teacher gave them a questionnaire about themselves. She put down her favourite books - The Diary of Anne Frank, Wonder, and this one - a middle grade tale of an Iranian family in America by the author of Funny in Farsi.

I expect that will be the most diverse list in the class! (I was surprised Divergent didn't make it - she was probably trying to impress her teacher with Anne Frank 😂)

far too often, this is true.

in times when we are faced with so much hate, love must become louder.

And continuing my #kidlit #2016favorites... It Ain't so Awful Falafel is reminiscent of the Judy Blume books I devoured as a kid, that realistic fiction dealing with family and friends.

Working at a different library today. It's pretty slow and very cold (possibly related points), so I may try to make a little headway on these two.

Calling all littens: What are your tips/strategies to stay focused while reading? I find my mind wandering more than I care for lately...

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel is the story of a girl who moves with her family from Iran to Newport Beach in the late 1970s to escape political turmoil. Read our review of this and other books about young people displaced from their homelands at wowlit.org! 🌎📚

I need to find this title for my school library.

#24in48 #readathon

Life story in a book title.

"'If I had one son & one daughter & could only educate one of them, I would educate my daughter. You know why? A girl without an education has no power; she is always at the mercy of others.'" My dad used to say the same thing to me growing up. I, too, feel like "the luckiest girl in the world." ❤️

That cover! That title! It has to be delightful. I can't wait to read this one.

"Grandma, this book is funny."

This is a great semi-autobiographical middle grade novel of an Iranian girl's experience living in the U.S. during the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979. It is also a beautiful story of friendship.

#netgalley #middlegrade