Lost Boys

(Hardback)

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Description

Twelve-year-old Reza has no interest in joining Iran's war effort. But in the wake of a tragedy and at his mother's urging, he decides to enlist and receives his "key to heaven": the assurance that he will achieve paradise should he die in service to his country. War does not bring the glory the boys of Iran have been promised, and Reza soon finds himself held in a prisoner-of-war camp in Iraq, where the guards not only threaten violence-they act upon it. Will Reza make it out alive And if he does, will he even have a home to return to In this unforgettable tale of friendship and survival against the odds, Reza finds solace through music and forges his own path, wherever that might take him.

Reviews

Rosenblatt's debut is fiction, but rooted in fact: the plight of 'lost boy soldiers' was all too real. Thanks to careful research and a well-written narrative, Rosenblatt brings their stories to vivid and memorable life. The lost boys, at least here, are found. --Booklist

Reza's adolescent rebellion, passion for music, and loyalty to his friends make him an appealing protagonist, and the constant dangers threatening him create a compelling read. Secondary characters demonstrate the complexity of attitudes and loyalties during the Iran-Iraq conflict . . . . A powerful look at a tragic period in history. --School Library Journal

This hard-hitting first novel opens in Iran in 1982. . . . The resilience of Rosenblatt's protagonist strikes a strong chord. --Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Darcey Rosenblatt is a debut author. She's a co-founder of the Better Books Workshop for middle-grade and young adult writers, and loves dancing and painting. She lives in San Francisco.