Kid reviews for It Ain't So Awful, Falafel

Zomorod or Cindy moved to California from Iran. She thinks her family is embarrassing: her mom only speaks Persian and isn’t willing to learn English or make any friends, her dad, an engineer, is always talking about the Iranian oil industry and how amazing it is, and she doesn’t know anything about Americans. Cindy begins to think that fitting in is hopeless. The only way to fit in is to be yourself, right?(Read this book to find out!) This is a great book for young kids to read. Many can probably relate to Cindy. Don't judge a book by it's cover; the title sounds odd, but it'll make sense. 4 stars!

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel is a funny and interesting historical fiction book about a girl named Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh. Cindy's family has moved 4 times in her life, first from Iran to California, then back to Iran, and now back to California. As if moving to a whole new new country isn't hard enough, Cindy also is starting 6th grade at a new school with no friends! After a rocky start, Cindy finally starts to make friends and doesn't feel quite so different anymore. That's before the revolution in Iran reaches the United States. After that, Cindy's life is thrown into worry and chaos, and she wonders if she'll ever feel safe and welcomed anywhere. It Ain't So Awful, Falafel is a moving book that explains a serious topic through a funny and relatable story about a middle schooler who's just trying to fit in. It will have you enthralled with it's funny storytelling and relatable characters right from the start. You'll be feel right alongside Cindy as she discovers that you can only find your real friends when you start being the real you.

I thought this book had very realistic situations with the transition to middle school. It also has excellent educational value. This a very sarcastic, funny, book. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

I really liked this book because I learned things about Iran from it and it was interesting. Zomorod, or Cindy is a believable character that you feel for. This novel is appropriate for middle-graders that like realistic fiction with some historical facts tied in!