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“This story, told in three points of view from three generations of the same family, is nothing short of masterful. This is the kind of story that young adult literature is made for—a story of the heart, of the very real human struggles young people face and that adults try to—but never truly—forget.”
— ALA Booklist, Starred Review

Only This Beautiful Moment

Written by Abdi Nazemian
Published by HarperCollins Publishers

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.

1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed.

1939. Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side.

Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today.

Primary ISBN: 9780063039377
Publication Date: May 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 13 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: Iran (Tehran), United States (Los Angeles, California)

Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: 1st Generation, 2nd Generation, Immigrant

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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