# Daniel Nayeri

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Iranian-American author

Daniel Nayeri Born Iran Alma mater New York University Notable works Everything Sad Is Untrue, The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story Notable awards Michael L. Printz Award (2020) Walter Dean Myers Award (2020) Christopher Award (2021) Newbery Honor (2024, 2026) Relatives Dina Nayeri Website www.danielnayeri.com

**Daniel Nayeri** is an Iranian-American author whose works have earned the [National Book Award](/source/National_Book_Award) and [Newbery Honors](/source/Newbery_Medal).

## Biography

Nayeri was born in Iran and fled the country with his sister [Dina](/source/Dina_Nayeri), and their mother, a doctor, after a *[fatwa](/source/Fatwa)* had been issued against her.[1][2][3] They lived for three years in refugee camps in Dubai and Rome before settling in 1990—when Nayeri was eight years old—in [Edmond, Oklahoma](/source/Edmond%2C_Oklahoma).[1][2] Nayeri attended [Edmond Memorial High School](/source/Edmond_Memorial_High_School), and [New York University](/source/New_York_University), where he studied writing.[2]

Nayeri was publisher of Odd Dot, a children's publishing group at [Macmillan Publishers](/source/Macmillan_Publishers), before leaving in 2020 to pursue full-time writing.[4]

Nayeri lives with his wife and son in [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey).[2]

## Works

Daniel Nayeri at the 2025 National Book Awards

Nayeri's printed works include:[5]

- *Another Faust*, 2009

- *Another Pan*, 2010

- *Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow*, 2011

- *Another Jekyll, Another Hyde*, 2013

- *How To Tell A Story*, 2015

- *The Most Dangerous Book : An Illustrated Introduction To Archery*, 2017

- *Sasha And Puck And The Cure For Courage*, 2019

- *Sasha And Puck And The Cordial Cordial*, 2019

- *[Everything Sad Is Untrue](/source/Everything_Sad_Is_Untrue)*, 2020

- *Sasha And Puck And The Brew For Brainwash*, 2020

- *Sasha And Puck And The Potion Of Luck*, 2021

- *Mirror Town*, 2023

- *[The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams](/source/The_Many_Assassinations_of_Samir%2C_the_Seller_of_Dreams)*, 2023

- *[The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story](/source/The_Teacher_of_Nomad_Land%3A_A_World_War_II_Story)*, 2025

## Awards

In 2020, *Everything Sad Is Untrue* received a [Michael L. Printz Award](/source/Michael_L._Printz_Award) for best book written for teens,[6] and was one of two honorees in the younger readers category for a [Walter Dean Myers Award](/source/Walter_Dean_Myers_Award).[7] In 2021, the book received a [Christopher Award](/source/Christopher_Award) in the young adult category,[8] and was a finalist for an [Audie Award for Young Adult Title](/source/Audie_Award_for_Young_Adult_Title).[9] In 2023, the book was nominated for a [Young Reader's Choice Award](/source/Young_Reader's_Choice_Award).[10]

*Everything Sad Is Untrue* was listed as one of the best children's books of 2020 by *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, *[The Wall Street Journal](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal)*, *[Today](/source/Today_(American_TV_program))*, and [Booklist Editors' Choice](/source/Booklist_Editors'_Choice).[11][12][13][14]

In 2024, *The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams* was selected as a [Newbery Honor](/source/Newbery_Honor) book.[15]

In 2025, *The Teacher of Nomad Land* won the National Book Award in the category Young People's Literature. [16] It was named a Newbery Honor book in January 2026.[17]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Culver_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Culver_1-1) Culver, Galen (September 4, 2020). ["'Everything Sad is Untrue' – What it was like for an Iranian refugee to grow up in Oklahoma"](https://kfor.com/news/great-state/everything-sad-is-untrue-what-it-was-like-for-an-iranian-refugee-to-grow-up-in-oklahoma/). *KFOR*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MN_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MN_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-MN_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-MN_2-3) Murdock Nichols, Maggie (July 18, 2023). ["Everything Sad is Untrue: Growing up as an Iranian refugee in Edmond"](https://nondoc.com/2023/07/18/everything-sad-is-untrue-an-iranian-refugee-in-edmond/). *Nondoc*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Nayeri, Dina (June 18, 2017). ["My Father, in Four Visits over Thirty Years"](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/personal-history/my-father-in-four-visits-over-thirty-years). *The New Yorker*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Kantor, Emma (February 25, 2021). ["Nathalie Le Du Named Publisher of Odd Dot as Daniel Nayeri Departs"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/85668-nathalie-le-du-named-publisher-of-odd-dot-as-daniel-nayeri-departs.html). *Publishers Weekly*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Daniel Nayeri"](https://www.loc.gov/search/?all=true&sb=date_desc&uf=contributor:nayeri,%20daniel). Library of Congress. Retrieved September 17, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Kirch, Claire (January 26, 2021). ["Daniel Nayeri: Celebrating with a Champagne Shower"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/85410-daniel-nayeri-celebrating-with-a-champagne-shower.html). *Publishers Weekly*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Zeng, Cady (Jan 21, 2021). ["Walter Dean Myers Awards Announced"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/85361-walter-dean-myers-awards-announced.html). *Publishers Weekly*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["'The Way Back,' 'Pray,' Dolly Parton special win Christopher Awards"](https://catholicreview.org/the-way-back-pray-dolly-parton-special-win-christopher-awards/). *Catholic Review*. April 26, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["2021 Audie Awards"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230404132318/https://www.audiopub.org/2021-audie-awards). Audio Publishers Association. Archived from [the original](https://www.audiopub.org/2021-audie-awards) on April 4, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["YRCA 2023 Nominees"](https://pnla.org/young-readers-choice-award/yrca-2023-nominees/). Pacific Northwest Library Association. Retrieved September 18, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The 25 Best Children's Books of 2020"](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/books/review/best-childrens-books.html). *The New York Times*. December 2, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Cox Gurdon, Meghan (December 10, 2020). ["The Best Books of 2020: Children's Books"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2020-childrens-books-11607642255). *The Wall Street Journal*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Tolin, Lisa (December 11, 2020). ["25 of our favorite books for kids, tweens and teens in 2020"](https://www.today.com/shop/best-kids-books-t203124).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020"](https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9743352). Retrieved September 17, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Roback, Diane; Kantor, Emma; Jones |, Iyana. ["Eggers, Harrison, King Win 2024 Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/94147-eggers-harrison-king-win-2024-newbery-caldecott-printz-awards.html). *PublishersWeekly.com*. Retrieved 2024-01-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [https://www.nationalbook.org/books/the-teacher-of-nomad-land-a-world-war-ii-story/](https://www.nationalbook.org/books/the-teacher-of-nomad-land-a-world-war-ii-story/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["American Library Association announces 2026 Youth Media Award winners"](https://www.ala.org/news/2026/01/american-library-association-announces-2026-youth-media-award-winners). *ALA.org*. January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 31, 2026.

## External links

- [Official website](https://www.danielnayeri.com/)

v t e Michael L. Printz Award 2000: Myers – Monster 2001: Almond – Kit's Wilderness 2002: Na – A Step From Heaven 2003: Chambers – Postcards from No Man's Land 2004: Johnson – The First Part Last 2005: Rosoff – How I Live Now 2006: Green – Looking for Alaska 2007: Yang – American Born Chinese 2008: McCaughrean – The White Darkness 2009: Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road 2010: Bray – Going Bovine 2011: Bacigalupi – Ship Breaker 2012: Whaley – Where Things Come Back 2013: Lake – In Darkness 2014: Sedgwick – Midwinterblood 2015: Nelson – I'll Give You the Sun 2016: Ruby – Bone Gap 2017: Lewis, Aydin, and Powell – March: Book Three 2018: LaCour – We Are Okay 2019: Acevedo – The Poet X 2020: King – Dig 2021: Nayeri – Everything Sad Is Untrue 2022: Boulley – Firekeeper's Daughter 2023: Tahir – All My Rage 2024: King, Anderson, Charlton-Trujillo, Levithan, McCarthy, McLemore, Neri, Reynolds, Ribay, and Sanchez – The Collectors: Stories 2025: Teer, Julia – Brownstone

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Other IdRef Yale LUX

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