Zahra's Paradise

Bibliographic Information: Amir (Author), & Khalil (Illustrator). (2011).  Zahra’s paradise. New York: First Second. ISBN:978-1-59643-642-8

Plot Summary: In the aftermath of Iran’s 2009 election, Medhi, a young Iranian has gone missing.  His brother, a blogger and our narrator, and his mother, Zahra, embark on a difficult search for him.  Medhi was last seen by his family as he turned the corner with his friends to join the protests in Freedom Square against Ahmadinejad's electoral victory.  Like many other young men and women, Medhi never came home, and the protests received no media coverage, thus confirming the corruption engulfing Iran.  During their search, Medhi’s brother and mother search the hospital, the morgue, and the prison for any sign of Medhi.  His brother attempts to spread the word of his brother’s disappearance through his blog and the distribution of fliers with his photograph.  As their efforts increase to locate Medhi, so to threats from the government.  With the help of the mistress of a prison official, Medhi’s brother gains access to secret files from the prison, in which he locates information about a plot of land in Zarah’s Paradise, a cemetery in Tehran.  As his brother searches the information he stumbles upon identifying personal affects of people buried in that plot of land.  Will he finally learn what happened to Medhi?

Critical Evaluation: Zarah’s Paradise presents a raw, inside look of the aftermath of the fraudulent 2009 election in Iran.  Told through the perspective of the narrator, Medhi’s brother, the story is shrouded with sadness, and anger.  Each character represents aspects of the 2009 election.  Medhi’s brother uses the blogosphere to tell the story of those oppressed by the corrupt Iranian government.  He represents the social media used by people to document the events of the protests.  Zhara, Medhi’s mother, represents all the families grieving over lost loved ones and unanswered questions.  She also represents the love and dedication of Iranian people.  Medhi represents Iranians hoping for change, and all of those who fell victim to the protests.  While the characters symbolize the different faces of Iran, the Afterwords provides background information about the history of Iran, and the 2009 election to help put the story in context for a reader who might not know much about the events.  The last thirteen pages list names of those who have been lost to persecution,  

Reader’s Annotation: My brother, Medhi is missing, and no one seems to care.  It is up to me and my mother to crawl through the web of corruption string by my government, and find out the truth.  

Information about the author: The volatile political climate in Iran is what causes authors of Zhara’s Paradise,  Amir and Khalil, to remain anonymous.  Amir is a published Iranian-American journalist who is also advocates human rights and makes documentaries.  He left Iran when he was twelve, after witnessing the Iranian Revolution in 1979, but has felt a deep connection to that country and its people ever since (Amazon, n.d.).

Khalil has been cartooning from a very early age, and is the illustrator of Zhara’s Paradise, his first novel.  

Genre: Graphic Novel

Curriculum Ties: Social Studies

Booktalking ideas (one or two):

1. Read blog entries (from narrator’s blog)

2. Description of corruption in Iran

Reading level/Interest age: 15+

Challenge Issues: This graphic novel contains sex, violence, death, nudity, coarse language, and anti-American sentiments.

To defend challenged material I would:

1.    Read/watch/listen to the material to become familiar with the content.

2.    Familiarize myself with the Arizona Common Core curriculum standards http://www.azed.gov/azcommoncore/teacher/ to defend how the material can support the learning of these standards.

3.    Refer to the Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

4.    Refer to the collection policy of my library.

5.    Collect reviews from staff/students/patrons who have used the material

Why I included this book: I chose to include this book in my collection because of its historical evidence.  The story is based on real events that took place in Iran, and shows how people used social media to combat corruption in their government.  It is important for young adults to understand the oppression others face around the world, and hopefully this graphic novel will encourage them to advocate freedom in other countries.  Zahra's Paradise  was recognized in 2012 as one of Young Adult Library Services Association's (YALSA) top ten graphic novels (YALSA, 2012).

References:

Amazon (n.d.) Q & a with the author of Zhara’s Paradise Amir. Zhara’s Paradise.
 Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Zahras-Paradise-Amir/dp/1596436425.

YALSA. (2012). Great graphic novels top ten 2012. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/ggnt/2012/topten