Daniel Nayeri

At the front of a middle school classroom in Oklahoma, a boy named Khosrou (whom everyone calls "Daniel") stands, trying to tell a story. His story. But no one believes a word he says. To them he is a dark-skinned, hairy-armed boy with a big butt whose lunch smells funny; who makes things up and talks about poop too much.
But Khosrou's stories, stretching back years, and decades, and centuries, are beautiful, and terrifying, from the moment his family fled Iran in the middle of the night with the secret police moments behind them, back to the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy.and further back to the fields near the river Aras, where rain-soaked flowers bled red like the yolk of sunset burst over everything, and further back still to the Jasmine-scented city of Isfahan.

We bounce between a school bus of kids armed with paper clip missiles and spitballs to the heroines and heroes of Khosrou's family's past, who ate pastries that made people weep and cry "Akh, Tamar!" and touched carpets woven with precious gems.

Like Scheherazade in a hostile classroom, Daniel weaves a tale to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. And it is (a true story).

It is Daniel's.

(A True Story)

Everything Sad Is Untrue

Dina Nayeri

A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year. (Age 14 and up) One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish -- only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up -- reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty -- they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

Another Faust

While attending an elite prep school where their father is a professor, Wendy and John Darling discover a book which opens the door to other worlds, to Egyptian myths long thought impossible, and to the home of an age-old darkness.

Another Pan

After his girlfriend dumps him and his father remarries, Thomas finds his life spinning out of control at the same time news breaks about a vicious crime, causing Thomas to suspect that his stepmother has involved him in a supernatural plan.

Another Jekyll, Another Hyde

Daniel Miyares

Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

A collection of four novellas written entirely on an iPhone, showcasing different genres, includes a western about a farmer who grows living toys and a rancher who grows half-living people; a science fiction story of the near-future in which the world is as easy to manipulate as the Internet; a crime story in which every wish comes true and only the Imaginary Crimes Unit can stop them; and a comedic love story in which Death describes himself as a charismatic hero.

Four Novellas by Daniel Nayeri

Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow

A groundbreaking hero's journey from National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner, Daniel Nayeri! A young boy, a mouse, and a dog set out to find their purpose in this fairy tale adventure told in an innovative visual format that offers a one-of-a-kind reading experience.

This is the tale of a boy named Nothing the Younger, who lives in a city on the mountaintop of a far-off and long-lost country. Everyone calls him Ing, and while he has no parents, he does have two friends: a dog, Pöppy, and a mouse, mOmO. When King Cyrus calls for a hero to find and defeat the Giantess ravaging the countryside, the king's son, the Wander Prince, answers the call and Ing decides to follow. Along the journey, Ing (and his friends) must traverse the Land of the Dead, survive an encounter with the terrifying wimmelworm, and discover the truth of his mother and father . . . so that he may find what he's been seeking all along—his best purpose. 

The text on each page snakes, climbs, jumps, and explodes into shapes and forms that unravel the story. This Is a Door is full of fun surprises and poignant musings that flip the classic hero's journey on its head—all in an artistic and inventive package that is a wonder to behold.

This is a Door

The Silk Road comes to life in this picaresque epic adventure with twists and turns and a wonderful surprise ending from Printz Medalist Daniel Nayeri This is the tale of an exciting 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”. The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey’s life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir— furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life—as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he’ll be a free man...but will they all survive that long? Fans of Salman Rushdie's Haroun and The Sea of Stories and The Little Prince will fall in love with the bond between Monkey and Samir—in this swashbuckling all-ages page-turner from national bestseller Daniel Nayeri and featuring full-color illustrations from Daniel Miyares. P R A I S E “Adventurous, funny and nimble. Daniel Nayeri understands this relationship between storytelling and magic, and finds every opportunity to celebrate it. ” —The New York Times “Daniel Nayeri and artist Daniel Miyares conjure a richly colored 11th-century realm of merchants and swindlers, camels and donkeys, caravanserai and spice bazaars, and the gaudiest array of mercenaries ever assembled in a book for young readers.” —The Wall Street Journal ★ “Filled with the multicultural hustle and bustle of the Silk Road, enlivened by the unpredictable nature of unreliable storytellers, and adorned with whimsical, colorful illustrations, this is a strange, wondrous, and creative tale. Can family be found along the Silk Road, or will everyone ultimately betray you? An enticing taste of a rich historical world." —Kirkus (starred) ★ “Readers will find more than expected, including tender philosophies, complex characterizations, heaps of humor, a masterful twist, and most importantly, just a great story, beautifully told.” —Booklist (starred) ★ “Blends playful humor, solid pacing, and fully realized characters into a witty, assassin-studded traveler’s yarn that also serves as a memorable, lively portrait of the 11th-century Silk Road.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) “Nayeri’s immersive writing style brings a you-are-there energy to the depiction of the harsh but gorgeous environment of the Silk Road, and an informative author’s note further details the geography of the trail, its economic and social value, and the many people who traversed it. The book ends with a simple but profound reminder that love comes in many forms, it is almost always messy and unpredictable, and it is almost always worth every effort toward it.” —BCCB “Daniel Nayeri has a gift. The child that reads this will not forget it, and how many books that come out for this age range can say the same? Is there anything else out there like it? I will simply say this: If you hand this book to someone, they will definitely have an opinion of it. You may, in fact, end up loving it in the end, or cursing it to the heavens. A tome with a soul tied inextricably to that of its titular character. Better read it.” —Betsy Bird, SLJ's Fuse 8 Blog

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

Sasha's father sells magic potions, but the potions don’t work. Can Sasha find a way to make the magic happen? When Basil Gentry asks for a cordial cordial, Sasha thinks he wants it for his spoiled sister Sisal. A boarding school headmistress is coming to meet Sisal, but Sisal would rather throw a party for her horse. Can Sasha and Puck convince Sisal to be friendly for one whole day?

Sasha and Puck and the Cordial Cordial

"A high-stakes conclusion that satisfies." — Kirkus Reviews Thomas, the most popular student at Marlowe, is hearing a sinister voice inside his head. As news of a vicious hate crime has students on edge, Thomas comes to the sickening realization that Madame Vileroy, who has just married his billionaire father, has involved him in a horrifying supernatural plan. The pulse-quickening climax to the Another series revisits Jekyll and Hyde as a current-day cautionary tale laced with a heady dose of paranormal intrigue.

In this pulse-quickening sequel to Another Faust, an ancient Egyptian spell is turning the tony Marlowe School into a sinister underworld. Will all hell break loose? Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe. Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality.

It’s the ultimate introduction to the world of archery, in a book that turns into an actual bow that shoots paper arrows. All you have to do is unlock and open the upper and lower bow limbs, punch out and fold the arrows, and shoot! But the book is also a rich and lively illustrated history of archery, covering the physics of a bow and arrow; the types of bows used since 4500 BC; arrows from around the world, like the deadly stone arrowheads used by Native Americans, or the Japanese whistling Kabura-ya that helped Samurai signal each other. Here are the great archery battles—Thermopylae in 480 BC, where the Spartan “300” faced a Persian who shot so many arrows they darkened the sky; or the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, the last battle to feature archers—horsemen from the Eurasian steppes—who helped the Russians defeat Napoleon.

The Most Dangerous Book: An Illustrated Introduction to Archery

Khosrou is twaalf. Samen met zijn moeder is hij Iran ontvlucht. In de Verenigde Staten probeert hij een nieuw thuis te vinden, maar al snel blijkt dat niet het beloofde land. Khosrous moeder, die dokter was in Iran, combineert verschillende baantjes om rond te komen. Zijn vader voelt steeds verder weg. Khosrous klasgenoten gooien paperclips in zijn nek. Maar in de klas van Mrs. Miller ontpopt Khosrou zich als verhalenverteller. Herinneringen aan zijn kindertijd komen bovendrijven, net als zijn vlucht uit Iran en zijn familiegeschiedenis. Dankzij de verhalen leert hij zichzelf te zijn. Alles wat verdrietig is, is onwaar is het onstuimige en hartverwarmende relaas van een rasoptimist die weigert te wanhopen. Wars van de wetten van de westerse verhaalkunst houdt Nayeri een sprankelend en uiterst origineel pleidooi voor empathie in tijden van verdeeldheid. ‘Een van de meest bijzondere boeken van het jaar.’ – BookPage, Starred Review ‘Een modern meesterwerk. Episch en hartverwarmend.’ – The New York Times

Daniel Nayeri

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