The old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child" rings true in this bona fide autobiography. Houshang Moradi Kermani grew up in the village of Sirch to become Iran's eminent author of fiction for children and young adults. These are the many true stories from his life that became the inspiration for his books, several of which have been made into television serials and feature films. With a mother who died in his infancy and a father who suffers from mental illness, young Hooshoo is raised by his grandmother and grandfather. After their passing, he is challenged at a very early age to overcome emotional strains and discover his identity. His love for reading and writing becomes his tool for survival through the pain he feels about his situation. He spends a blissful and nostalgic early youth in the village before moving to the city in his adolescence to live in an orphanage school. His experiences in Kerman form his destiny, make him stronger and lead him to the place in life he knew he was meant to reach.
About the Author: Houshang Moradi-Kermani was a finalist in 2014 for the biennial, International Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest recognition available to creators of children's books and currently is a nominee for the 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Born in 1944 in Sirch Village near the city of Kerman in south central Iran, he completed elementary school in his village, middle school in Kerman, studied dramatic arts in Tehran where he subsequently attended university, and finally earned a B.A. in English translation. He began his career in the arts on the radio in Kerman and Tehran in 1961. Numerous works by Houshang Moradi Kermani have been published including The Stories of Majid, Children of the Carpet Weaving House, The Palm, The Water Urn, Fist on Hide, The Tandoor and Other Stories, Anar's Smile, Mommy's Guest, The Water Urn, Sweet Jam, Like the Full Moon, Nine of Each Kind, and Rice and Stew. His works have been translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Korean, Greek and Turkish. His books have resulted in thirty eight television serial episodes and feature films for cinema, and have been entered in domestic and foreign film festivals. Caroline Croskery has been especially devoted to the Persian culture for many years. She was born in the United States and moved to Iran at the age of twenty-one. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in Iranian Studies where she graduated Cum Laude. For many years, she has been active in three fields of specialization: Language Teaching, Translation and Interpretation and Voiceover Acting. During her thirteen years living in Iran, she taught English and also translated as well as dubbed Iranian feature films into English. After returning to live in the United States, she began a ten-year career as a court interpreter and translator of books from Persian into English. She is an accomplished voiceover talent, and currently continues her voiceover career in both English and Persian.