Everything Sad Is Untrue

Superlative Tag While viewers of this book bento may not be tricked into believing that this beautiful Abominable Snowman (named Bomba) is a sheep, they will be able to see that he is just as loved as Nayeri's Mr. Sheep Sheep. In a scene easily recognizable as Most Likely to Cry Over Someone ELSE'S Stuffed Animal, young Khosrou must abandon his dreams of becoming a shepherd and leave beloved Mr. Sheep Sheep on the side of the road, with real sheep grazing in a field. Readers will experience the palpable grief, guilt, and fear felt by Khosrou at abandoning his helpless sheep as he himself flees his country. When have you had to leave something behind? Have you ever lost something that you thought you would have forever? Readers will have already formed a connection to Mr. Sheep Sheep after his original appearance on page 5, so Khosrou's loss is our loss. I tagged the author in a twitter post which I would love to share: Me: "Just a normal lunch crying spent over Sheep Sheep @DanielNayeri" @DanielNayeri: thank you, M. Those mazloom creatures get me every time." Readers will learn quite a few vocabulary words in Everything Sad Is Untrue, including Khosrou's made-up language with the two words Nayeri remembers which are "finigonzon" (beautifil girl) and "finigonz" (beautifu boy). In this case Nayeri is using a Persian word "mazloom" which means cute and pitiful, a victim.

Discoverability tag The cover of Everything Sad is Untrue is simply stunning. After completing the book, the cover itself is its own bento box. With a swirling tornado full of a castle, birds, a bull, and more, David Curtis did a phenomenal job capturing so many important elements of the book and bringing them together beautifully. Libraries could increase discoverability and circulation with a March Madness Style best cover competition. Using a template from the basketball tournament, a large bulletin board display (with a virtual copy online) will keep track of the winners of each round. All library patrons will be encouraged to vote and the patron with the closest guesses will win a donated prize such as a gift card to a local indie bookstore to purchase the winning books or possibly a signed print of a book cover by the author and cover artist. Clear choices for the competition are Everything Sad Is Untrue, Raybearer, Lost in the Never Woods, Love is a Revolution, Slay, Starfish, and All Thirteen. Choosing books to borrow from the cover art instead of topic will expand readers choices and expose them to books they may have never thought to read before.

Reader Specific One of the most heartbreaking scenes in Everything Sad Is Untrue is the loss of Khosrou's friend Ali who he met in the refugee camp in Italy. Neither of them owned anything worth money, however they played with a plastic ball as if it was a real soccer ball. After Ali accidentally pops the ball on his bicycle after a particularly hard kick, Khosrou is so overwhelmed with emotion that his mother takes him into town even as Ali tries to apologize. When they get back, Ali has left the camp and never seen again. After reading this, I spent some reflecting on friendships that I have lost due to reasons I either don't remember, or seemed more important than they were. Have I overreacted to an accident or mistake? I'm sure I have. Readers can also take time throughout the book to think back upon poignant times in their lives where something changed and how they reacted to that change. Have they lost friendships over a disagreement or mistake? What do they wish they could tell their friends from the past if they saw them today. In a world lived on social media, it is easy to reconnect with people who you haven't spoken to in some time. Do you think Khosrou could find Ali again? I hope so.

Quote tag COUNTING THE MEMORIES Baba Haji Kills the bull. My first memory is blood, slopping from the throat of a terrified bull, and my grandfather--red-handed--reaching for my face. I would have been three at the time. This quote is from page 2 of the book! Daniel Nayeri wants the reader to know that this is his story and he is going to be telling it, gory detail and all. If readers do not want to read about blood or death, this is not the book for them. While he refers back to this memory of the bull throughout the book, reading it for the first time is like being punched in the gut. This beautiful book is full of pain, starting with this gruesome slaughter of a "terrified" animal in the street. Readers ramping up for this powerful story will prepare themselves for a book full of tales of blood, poop, food, ketchup, loss, and love, not necessarily in that order.

Quote tag We don't owe anyone our sadness. This broke my heart. Throughout this incredibly sad story we see Khosrou trying to survive in a world that doesn't understand him. Running from a country that wants to kill his mother, to a classroom where he is made fun of and no one believes his stories, to a church where the kids tease him, a house whose bathroom doesn't meet his basic needs, and an abusive stepfather, Khosrou endures more struggles than anyone ever should. His complex emotions are portrayed right up from for the viewer to see, admitting the panic and heartbreak, bravery and disappointment, compassion and betrayal, all played out knowing that the reader could judge and ridicule him as his classmates have. Readers will see the hurt Khosrou has endured and believe in his journey, believe that he can be strong and live a great life despite of his challenged youth. Learning about his life now, married with a child while living and working in New Jersey shows that people with challenging childhoods can still grow up and leave somewhat "normal" lives.

Reader Specific Religion is an important topic throughout the book for many reasons. While explaining many parts of Muslim culture, Nayeri teaches readers who may not know anything about the observers here or in Iran. This allows a much deeper historical context about Muslims in Iran including information about those who are sayyed (from the bloodline of the prophet) such as Khosrou's parents, and why it was so dangerous for his mother to convert to Christianity. Readers can think about their own faith and if they would go through the dangers that Sima, Khosrou's mother, did to convert to a faith that she believed in. I was not raised in a religious household, however Catholicism was very important to my grandmother who attended church every Sunday and was friends with her pastor. This is her prayer card from her funeral in 2019. She had seven children and I believe that she would have done whatever it took to have kept them safe, just as Sima did.

In this Publishers Weekly Q & A author Daniel Nayeri discusses the issues he had writing this book, trying to format it as an adult novel and a collection essays before being told by an editor friend that it was a middle grade novel. Readers will get a glimpse of Daniel Nayeri's adult life, including his work in editing, his love for skydiving, and his five year career of being a pastry chef, the love of pastries a theme in the book. In this guest post for the Mackin Community, Nayeri shares family pictures from Iran, Italy, and Oklahoma. Readers can see who the characters in the book actually are to Khosrou. Readers can view his website here. I recently was lucky enough to see Daniel Nayeri speak at an NJASL conference and he liked my comment!

As with many YA or Middle Grade Novels, Everything Sad Is Untrue should be read with the knowledge of some content warnings. This book contains: Bullying, Violence against animals, women, and children, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Discussion of death, Kidnapping, Bigotry, Murder, Domestic Violence, and Racism. The Domestic Abuse Hotline has a website, phone line (1-800-799-7233), and a live chat available. The site is in English and in Spanish. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a website available in 16 languages and has information on who to call and where you can go for help with substance abuse or mental health issues. They also offer a National Helpline (1-800-622-4367), Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990), and Suicide Intervention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). The National Allegiance for Grieving Children is a great place for resources to help children deal with the loss of a family member.

Check me out!! Your local library Borrow an e-book Borrow an audiobook Try a free trial on Audible.com Support an Indie Bookstore Everything Sad Is Untrue is a A National Indie BestsellerAn NPR Best Book of the YearA New York Times Best Book of the YearAn Amazon Best Book of the YearA Booklist Editors' ChoiceA BookPage Best Book of the YearA NECBA Windows & Mirrors SelectionA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearA Wall Street Journal Best Book of the YearA Today.com Best of the Year (Information from the Warren County Library)

Superlative Tag The content of this book spans seemly every topic a reader could think of but it keeps coming back to one thing (ok maybe there are many things but...) FOOD! Between the pastries and the hot dogs and barbecue sauce Nayeri sure knows how to keep us hungry! In a delectable description, Nayeri that can be known only as Most Likely to Make You Drool describes his favorite, Orich candy bars. Yummmm! I don’t know how to explain. I barely remember the taste of Orich. I only know I ate a Mounds bar and it wasn’t my favorite most amazing thing in my mouth … so it must be different. Though readers may not have heard of Orich bars, they can think of their own favorite chocolates. What comforts from home do you think of when you are away? If you have moved, think back on a staple from your old house that is not as readily available for you now. In 2021, we can access almost anything internationally, but 20 years ago Khosrou would not have been able to order up Orich bars online like we could. Consider the change in shopping from your parents generation to now. Nayeri explains the knowledge of Americans on food from Iran. Here is a list of the foods from Iran that they have never heard of here: All of it. All the food. Jared Rhodes didn't even know what a date was.