The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story

Singing praises for The Teacher of Nomad Land by David Nayeri. It is a beautiful package, with compelling cover, artful cover below the jacket, chapter opener art, and luscious paper.). Nayeri is award-winning--Printz for Everything Sad is Untrue and Newbery Honor for The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams).Babak is such a great kid, forced to take on so many adult roles as he and his younger sister search for a new home during the Allied occupation of Iran in 1941. While all the characters are 100% believable, the dangers/travails/adventures they experience are amazingly compelling. Despite harsh details of being orphaned, scouring the land for a few pistachios and water, fleeing a vicious soldier, the persecution of Jews in Poland, and the plight of nomads trying to move acrosss borders to their traditional lands—all is made bearable by the empathy, love and humanity that Babak evidences. The writing and plotting are A+, with delectable asides on the meaning and value of language, teaching, and words themselves.Of the many middle grade novels about WWII, this ranks right up there with Alan Gratz, Ruta Sepetys, and Sarah Pennypacker. It is a privilege to read this marvelous book and share in Nayeri’s world.

I am always amazed when authors can take a piece of little-known history and make it come alive for readers. Truthfully, I have never once thought of Iran's involvement in World War II--it is something that never came up in my studies or prior reading. And now I know a little something, thanks to this book. But mostly thanks to the way Nayeri can tell readers about history through characters. I loved Babak and his little sister. They, along with the others they meet on their journey, brought this slice of history alive for me. It is beautifully told and accessible for older elementary and middle school students.

I never knew about how Iran was involved in World War II before reading this book. I found the historical notes at the end very interesting, and loved the way the author formed the history into an engaging story. I loved the way Babak took care of his little sister, even to the point of being ready to sacrifice himself. I also liked the glimpse into the way the nomadic tribes lived at that time. The one thing that I didn’t like so well about this book was the point of view; it was written in third-person, present tense.I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Daniel Nayeri strikes again! I love how he takes a complicated moment in history and makes it about people. This book takes many ethnicities and highlights their tensions and their humanity---all for a middle-grade audience. I loved the brother/sister relationship and the way Nayeri shines light of the continuing conflict in the Middle East.

Interesting historical fiction about a lesser-known aspect of WW2.At the beginning of the conflict, Iran was a neutral country. In 1941, the Nazis came at it from one side, and the Soviet forces from the other. Babek and his younger sister have to fight for their survival after their father is killed; they are alone, and many people they encounter are terrifying. As the two children attempt to reach safety, they must make decisions about helping a Jewish boy they meet who is also trying to escape danger. If they abandon him, Babek and his sister risk turning into “monsters” like the ones they see all around them…