Banana Dream by Hasan Namir (review)

Mooz’s name means banana in Arabic, and, unfortunately, it’s brought him nothing but trouble, inviting ridicule from cousins and classmates. It’s not just the name they find strange, but what it represents: bananas were a forbidden fruit in Iraq during the Gulf War, when countries limited trade with Mooz’s country. It is for that reason, though, that Mooz’s parents gave him his name; before he was born, his mother was told she couldn’t conceive, but after a dream led his Baba to make a nine-hour trip to Jordan to get Mama a bunch of bananas, she learned she was pregnant with Mooz. To his parents, his name means hope. Mooz makes a cheerful, appealing narrator, even when lamenting the teasing from his schoolmates, and his voice is absolutely kid-authentic, conveying his personal account while weaving in some of the larger context of his homeland and the challenges he and his family face. The mix of digital, charcoal, and pencil art easily complements Mooz’s narrative approach, with vibrant colors and dynamic textures energizing scenes, while small visual cues—an “out of stock sign” and a war report on the television—place Mooz’s experience within the upheaval of Iraq at that time. An author’s note explains how the book is based on Namir’s childhood experiences and provides a bit more detail on the sanctions and rationing during the Gulf War.