The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story

"In the 2025 National Book Award-winning The Teacher of Nomad Land, Daniel Nayeri again proves he operates on a level all his own. Spare, sharp and profoundly moving, the novel follows Babak and his sister, newly orphaned in World War II-era Iran, as they navigate a world closing in on all sides. When they meet Ben, a Jewish boy in hiding, their fragile hope collides with the brutal weight of history. Nayeri distills war, childhood, grief, loyalty and faith into something achingly intimate. The emotional terrain he covers in so few words is astonishing. This isn’t just a book – it’s a prayer, a lament, a master class in storytelling. Nayeri writes like someone who knows what stories are for: to carry us, to crush us and then to redeem us. (For ages 8 to 12)"