I Won't Pretend These Missiles Are Stars: Life in Iran During the 12-Day War

Starred review from Booklist: “Readers will likely find this anthology difficult to put down.” 

What does war feel like? Listen to real people on the ground in Iran. War is not a video game. People's lives are shattered. 

An eye-opening anthology from a collective of fifteen different young writers and artists who were going about their daily lives in and around Tehran, while Israel and the United States carried out a bombing campaign to cripple the Iranian nuclear weapons capabilities. 

We learn about the nightmare of trying to sleep while bombs are exploding all around you; about the struggle to rescue your beloved cat as you are evacuating your home; about the anxiety of not being able to communicate with your friends and loved ones and learn of their whereabouts; and we hear about the trauma of being forced to return to an abusive home in order to stay "safe."

A searing and honest account of life in Tehran during the U.S. and Israeli attacks of 2025. This book was edited by two Iranian comics teachers, and we have kept all of the editors', authors', and artists' identities anonymous for their safety.