On Two Feet and Wings

Gr 7 Up—When Kazerooni was nine years old, he was told he must leave his family and go to Istanbul. This is the only way he could avoid being conscripted into Iran's army, which has recently reduced the age of recruitment. Already frightened, Kazerooni was pushed beyond all reasonable limits when his mother was denied entry on the plane and he was forced to navigate the trip alone. Here he recalls how he learned to live on his own in a foreign city when he didn't speak the language. His quick thinking and the kindness of strangers allow him to make the best of his dire situation in surprising ways and this memoir is uplifting even when describing the dark times. Kazerooni has written about his trials in order to bring his experiences during the reign of the ayatollahs to many who have limited or no knowledge of that time. The author narrates, lending the story a lot of personality.