Call Me Ziba

Call Me Ziba, written by Farhad Hassanzadeh and published by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, belongs to the field of young adult literature. The book narrates a single day in the life of a fifteen-year-old girl named Ziba, who helps her father, Khosro, escape from a psychiatric hospital so they can celebrate her birthday together. Khosro begins this tumultuous one-day journey with his only daughter after “borrowing”—as he puts it—the bank card and motorcycle of the hospital staff. Although Ziba knows her father is not mentally stable, her pure and unconditional love for him keeps her by his side even in the most critical moments, even when her own life is at risk. Khosro’s instability, however, causes trouble for both of them, creating tense and breath-holding moments throughout the story.

Farhad Hassanzadeh is one of the few writers in young adult literature who focuses on the problems of vulnerable teenagers—those with neglectful or absent parents, poverty, addiction, psychological struggles, or parental divorce. His storytelling is rooted in real social issues. Ziba’s mother is addicted and, after the divorce, marries another man named Aghabala. This marriage not only fails to improve Ziba’s life but makes it a hundred times harder, to the point where she decides to run away. She now lives in a center for children with unfit guardians. Until one day, her father calls from the hospital and convinces her to help him escape. Ziba knows what she’s doing is wrong, but her longing for her father prevents her from refusing. This marks the beginning of 24 hours filled with stress, conflict, and yet, moments of love and joy. Khosro tries his best to make up for the things he never did in the past by giving Ziba the best day possible. But soon, external triggers and reminders of his unhealed wounds from the past unsettle him more and more. Alongside the portrayal of their struggles, the author skillfully weaves humor into the narrative so the reader isn’t overwhelmed by the characters’ hardships. His cleverness is especially evident in the book’s title—it allows the reader to choose how they want to “call” the story.