It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

An #ownvoices middle-grade read about growing up Iranian in California in the years overlapping the Iran Hostage Crisis. I seem to be reading about that fairly often these days, but this was a new perspective, that of a middle school girl who prefers to be called Cindy, whose family moved from Iran for her dad's job, and how being Iranian affected her experiences in America.

Cindy is a great heroine, a typical pre-teen girl; she starts at a new school in sixth grade and learns to make friends and be herself in her new neighborhood, including leaving a friendship that doesn't work; she loves to read and doesn't like the dumb boy that laughs at her in her class (or does she?) and is embarrassed that her Maman is always trying to feed people. Her parents struggle with the language, with sadness over being so far from their extended family; and then as the Iranian Revolution hits and Cindy's father loses his job, she struggles with both her family and her own identity as seemingly everyone around her suddenly seems to hate Iranians.

I liked spending time with Cindy and her friends a lot. The author's note at the end indicates that some of the elements of the story, including the friendships, are true, and I love that.

CW: acts of racism/microaggressions, depression