Title: The Teacher of Nomad Land
Author: Daniel Nayeri
Major Themes: Iran, Nomads, Literacy, Orphans, Survival, World War II
Synopsis: When they are left orphans, Babak and his sister try to find a new home with a nomadic tribe in Iran—but end up helping a Jewish boy escape from a Nazi spy!
Have you noticed that there is a dearth of historical fiction that does not include time travel, fantasy, or ghosts? I am always delighted to find a new release that does not include those elements. When I saw The Teacher of Nomad Land, a historical novel set in Iran during World War II, I was intrigued. I didn’t know that war affected the Middle East! I decided to read this to my children to get their opinion; they tend to be brutally honest when I read them a review book, and that is helpful.
Publisher’s description:
1941. The German armies are storming across Europe. Iran is a neutral country occupied by British forces on one side, Soviet forces on another. Soldiers fill the teahouses of Isfahan. Nazi spies roam the alleyways.
Babak and his little sister have just lost their father. Now orphans, fearing they will be separated, the two devise a plan. Babak will take up his father’s old job as a teacher to the nomads. With a chalkboard strapped to Babak’s back, and a satchel full of textbooks, the siblings set off to find the nomad tribes as they make their yearly trek across the mountains.
On the treacherous journey they meet a Jewish boy, hiding from a Nazi spy. And suddenly, they are all in a race for survival.
Against the backdrop of World War II comes an epic adventure in the faraway places. Through the cacophony of soldiers, tanks, and planes, can young hearts of different creeds and nations learn to find a common language?
Master storyteller Daniel Nayeri keeps you on the edge of your seat, uncertain to the very end.
My thoughts:
I began reading The Teacher of Nomad Land several days before we left home on a long trip. Because of that, we read several chapters each day, trying to finish before departure, and the children were delighted to hear such large chunks of the story at a time. Every time I asked if I should stop with just one, they all chimed in to ask for more. We hadn’t quite finished when we left, so I ended up reading several chapters as we waited in airports, and my husband listened in at those times. Despite his dislike of war stories, he was fascinated by the history presented in this story. Though there are some violent scenes, as the Nazi spy took advantage of several children alone in the wilderness, most of the story is about Babak and how he worked to keep his sister with him, and find both of them a home. The way Babak cared for his little sister is lovely.
The Teacher of Nomad Land is a wonderful story to go along with any study of World War II. It tells a side of the story that very few know about, and the author’s note at the end is valuable in understanding the whole book. We all enjoyed the story; my 10-year-old says it was good. My 13-year-old says it was good, but he feels like it lacked a plot; it sounded like someone’s life. My biggest complaint is that the book is written in third-person, present tense, and I don’t like that point of view very well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 11: Boy knocked out. Chapter 12: Boy considers killing someone. Chapter 16: Boy thinks about sacrificing himself to save his sister, another boy is knocked out. Chapter 19: Description of Nazi brutality (twice). Chapter 22: Man threatens girl, boy hurts man. Chapter 26: Violence between man and children, man points pistol at another man.
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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