Middle Grades Pick: It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

It Ain't So Awful,Falafel
by Firoozeh Dumas
Clarion Books
2016
370 pages
ISBN: 9780544612310

Editorial Reviews

"Filled with humorous touches and authentic cultural references, Dumas’s story will resonate not just with young immigrants but with any readers trying to adapt to new situations."
—Publishers Weekly

* "Dumas’ semi-autobiographical novel is both funny and affecting...Readers will be thoroughly invested in Cindy’s story, whether holding their breath or laughing out loud, and always hoping that the Yousefzadehs will come out on top."
—Booklist, STARRED review

* "[A] fresh take on the immigrant experience—authentic, funny, and moving from beginning to end."
—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review

"[It Ain't So Awful, Falafel] is funny, affecting, and nuanced...The novel doesn’t sugarcoat the issues, but it balances these serious notes with preteen antics and melodramas that Blume would be proud of; Cindy’s voice will undoubtedly draw in readers from all backgrounds."
—Horn Book

"...keeps readers engaged with the very real and relatable difficulties of finding friends after moving, dealing with family issues both domestic and abroad, and discovering one’s own identity in middle school."
—School Library Journal

“Firoozeh Dumas’s unique gift is her ability to use her wry, bold, but always gentle wit to tell serious stories about family, heritage, and loss. . . . In this era of suspicion and paranoia, [this book] offers a tender and compassionate glimpse into the immigrant experience.” —Khaled Hosseini, bestselling author of The Kite Runner

"This book is a sheer delight—rambunctious and rich. . . . Firoozeh Dumas writes with the perfect light touch that makes us wonder once again: Who is running the big world and why not this person, please?"  —Naomi Shihab Nye, novelist and poet

My Review:

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel speaks to the heart. Immigrants from Iran, Cindy (Zomorod) Yousefzadeh and her parents move from Iran  to Compton to Newport Beach, California, and begin living the great American dream. In America, they have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, they can own property, work and play where and when they want to, they make life choices, dress how they choose, and enjoy all the freedoms that Iranians didn't have.

Cindy begins middle school and has a difficult time navigating. Some kids are rude--making fun of her foreign sounding name and teasing her about Iran. One even asks her about her camel! Lucky for Cindy, she is able to make friends with Carolyn, a budding journalist. The girls do usual "girl" things: they shop, eat pizza, go to movies, listen to music and talk about boys.

Cindy is excited about her new favorite holiday: Halloween. When she first came to the U.S., she thought Halloween was just wearing a costume to class. She had no idea kids went house to house trick or treating. When kids started ringing their doorbell, Cindy's family gave each of them a piece of fruit until they ran out.  The family then started handing out pickling cucumbers. Cindy says, " Iranians always have massive amounts of little cucumbers in their houses. If there is ever an emergency that requires huge amounts of small cucumbers, Iranians will be instant heroes."

Life in America is looking up--that is until the Shah is ousted from Iran and hostages are taken. American anti-Iranian sentiment runs high, and Cindy's engineer father loses his job. Someone in Cindy's condo community is sending her family hate messages. First the  hater tampers with their garbage can and then leaves  a dead hamster on their doorstep which Cindy hides from her parents. As their savings dwindle, Cindy takes a part-time job, delivering flyers.

Once the neighbors find out about the display of hate, will they rally around Cindy's immigrant family? It takes a village to raise a child. What does it take to help an immigrant  family in need?

I loved this little gem! Full  of historical details and anecdotes about Iran and typical Iranian families, It Ain't So Awful, Falafel rings true. It is entertaining and interesting. Readers will be charmed by Cindy and the friendship between Caroline and Cindy is sweet and sisterly.

Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Maman's Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen

Maman's Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen
by Donia Bijan
Algonquin
2011
272 pages

Available September 20, 2011

Heartfelt, deep, moving, and full of warmth, Maman's Homesick Pie is a serious find for book lovers and foodies of all ages. Donia Bijan is today a well-respected American chef who has worked in kitchens all over France and San Francisco before opening her own world-renowned bistro. But where did this culinary dynamo come from? Who influenced her to seek a career in a field that was so closed off to women and who encouraged her to seek a spot at Paris's famed Cordan Bleu under the tutelege of Madame Brassart, the dragon master chef who taught none other than American food icon Julia Child?

Luckily, Bijan was brought up by a strong Iranian mother and father. Her mother had a voice in government in Iran during the reign of the Shah, but after his fall in 1978 and with the infiltration of militant religious sects, Bijan's entire family is forced to flee Iran, never to return for fear of death. On a holiday in Majorca, Bijan's family listens to reports of increasing violence and bloodshed at home,and after receiving a harrowing late night call from their uncle, they realize that they cannot go back home. The family gets visas and travels to the San Francisco Bay area where other relatives have already settled.

Bijan's mother easily fits into the California lifestyle in no time. Having attended boarding school in England as a girl, she speaks fluent English and has a nursing degree. It's not long before she has a full-time job at a hospital and soon she's picking up extra hours to help fund Donia's education in France. While her mother assimiliates easily, Bijan's father finds America a horrible place. He can't practice medicine because he can't get over the language barrier, so he can't pass the medical boards. He becomes increasingly depressed and irritated, blaming everything bad on his wife and his daughter. He longs for his homeland where he was a respected doctor with his own hospital. Eventually, he returns to Iran and his beloved hospital without his family.

Donia escapes to Paris to learn to cook the French way. She is charmed by spices and has been in love with food since a young age. Her mother, besides being a nurse and raising a family, made aromatic dishes like Fava Bean Omelet, Saffron Yogurt Rice with Chicken and Eggplant, and Quince Marmalade. Donia still remembers the scents of Persian cooking from her mother's kitchen in Iran: the saffron, cardamom, tarragon, shallots, poppy seeds, Persian figs, pomegranates, and clementines.

This novel is, above all, a love story. It is the story of a mother's love and undying, unwavering faith in her daughter. Because her mother loved her and pushed her, Donia Bijan excelled in the culinary world and fulfilled her dreams. When her father thought cooking was a terrible fate for his daughter, her mother saw how much it meant to Donia. Her mother never made light of cooking as a career and respected her daughter's life choice. It is the love a mother gives that forever influences the life of her child.

Maman's Homesick Pie is a beautiful tribute to Donia's mother and her Persian recipes. Each chapter is followed by one or two prized recipes from Bijan's mother or from Bijan's culinary days in Paris and San Francisco. The food dances off the pages and readers will savor the flavors and textures of the dishes as described by Donia. This novel makes me want to try all kinds of exotic fare.

A delightful book that will stay with readers. Food lovers, cooks, and wannabe cooks will love this book. Book clubs are likely to choose this as a great read this fall. Put this one on your list. Young foodies ages 12 and up will likely fall for this book as well.

Recommended for adults and younger foodies. Teens who love "Master Chef" and "The Next Food Network Star" will probably love this book and learn a lot about cooking by reading it. This is a great book club novel.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not received any monetary compensation for this review.