Author Highlight - Daniel Nayeri

The 2026 Newbery Awards were announced this week, and we recently added this winning title to our library. 

The Teacher of Nomad Land - a World War II Story, by Daniel Nayeri

Books about World War II are common, but most are set in Europe or the U.S. This book takes us to Iran for a middle-grade-appropriate look at life during the war. What follows is an epic adventure. Through the cacophony of soldiers, tanks, and planes, can young hearts of different creeds and nations learn to find a common language? It also won the National Book Award for 2025. 

 

And MORE Books by Nayeri in our Library! 

 

 

Everything Sad is Untrue - the semi-autobiographical story of a boy who immigrates to the US from Iran. It won a Michael L. Printz Award award and was listed as the best children's book of 2020 by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. 

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams - This is the tale of a journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called 'Seller of Dreams.'
Winner of a Newbery Honor.  

Drawn Onward - illustrated by Matt Rockefeller. Gorgeously illustrated, Drawn Onward gently guides readers through the depths of grief and provides comfort and hope to those who seek answers when it feels like all is lost.  

The Bizarre Bazaar - Mirror Town - illustrated by Liz Enright - A mirror received in payment for yard work transports Abel from his lonely life to a town where everything seems perfect. 

(All book descriptions from Publishers or Follett.)

 

If you'd like more information about Daniel Nayeri, HERE is a recent article from Christianity Today.

 

Mrs. Tricia Fraser

tfraser@icsbudapest.org