Dear Mr. Edward Bloor,
I am writing to let you know that I really enjoyed the two books-- Tangerine and Crusader-- that you wrote and that I read. It is rare that I even like on of an author's books, let alone two!!!! So, thanks for that. I even heard you had another book out that I wll definitely get and read when I have time.
What Tangerine did for me is this: I learned that looking like or acting like a nerd doesn't mean a thing. It's who you are on the inside that counts. Before I read this book, I used to get really bothered by kids making fun of me for the way I act and the way I dress. At school, some kids call me "Osama," and they are not being nice when they say it. I used to want to fit in and be like the rest of them but not anymore. Through Paul, I learned that it doesn't matter what other people think. It's what I think about myself that counts. Many people in my class just don't want to know me, and that's the way it is.
What Crusader did for me is this: I finally read a book that showed a Muslim boy in a positive way. It seems like every time I read a book with a Muslim in it, the person is obsessed with fighting, is ruthless, or is "sick in the head" (like the girl in The Terrorist by Caroline B. Cooney). Sometimes when I go to public places, I wonder if people look at me like I'm dangerous because of books like The Terrorist, movies like The Siege (with Denzel Washington) and, most of all, because of what happened on Spetember 11, 2001. Like all Americans, my family and I think those attacks that day were a terrible thing.
Crusader also showed me that there are always two sides (or more) to practically everything. So, if you have time, I'd like to know more about the Crusades, especially information on the Arab side of the story.
Thank you for your time,
Nima
