ZAHRA'S PARADISE

ZAHRA'S PARADISE, by Amir, ill. by Khalil (First Second Books/Roaring Brook Press 2011)(14+).  This powerful graphic novel tells the story of the search for Mehdi, a nineteen year old caught up in the aftermath of Iran's Green Revolution of 2009.  Last seen at the Freedom Square, his mother and his brother, a blogger, now search for him, trying to negotiate their way through the cruelty and fecklessness of the state bureaucracy... 

In addition to being a fine story, well-told and richly drawn, ZAHRA'S PARADISE does an excellent job of cutting through the headlines, bringing characters to life, and illuminating Iran's recent history.