Ahmad Akbarpour, illustrated by Morteza Zahedi, translated by Shadi Eskandani and Helen Mixter,
Good Night, Commander
Groundwood Books, 2010.

Rating: G*

Set in Iran between the years 1980 and 1988 during the Iran and Iraq war, Good Night, Commander tells the story of a boy who plays his own wars games as a result of the war he's living through. Without his artificial leg, he hides under his bedcovers, feeling defenseless against the enemy. He plays with toy soldiers, grabs his gun, confronts the enemy's commander (who is a boy like himself), and pretends he's avenging his mom's death. The bombs and tanks mix with memories of his reality. But in the safety of his room, he can befriend the enemy and call cease-fire. It's something he imagines would make his mom proud.

Originally published in Farsi in 2005, Good Night, Commander shows a child's view of the war. The story is told through play, and child like drawings. The illustrations, which fill whole pages, are subdued in color. Good Night, Commander would be a useful resource for children studying wars; past or present. 

Thematic Links: Iran-Iraq War; Children with Artificial Limbs; Mothers and Sons

Tanya Boudreau
Vol. 16, number 1
October 2010

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.