Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein: Based on a True Story Hardcover – February 6, 2018

This quick read reels you in immediately, holding your attention until the last page. Fascinating, up-close viewpoint from a child’s eyes about a time period the target audience would have no recollection about...because they weren’t born yet. Lots to think about and discuss. The simplistic language, perhaps because it was co-written by a non-native English speaker, sometimes distracted me. Perhaps that is a good thing, though, because it reminded me of the narrator and his backstory.

My 11-year old and I read this story together, and he found it entertaining and captivating. We enjoyed learning more about a small part of Iraq’s history through Ali’s eyes.

I have loved this window view into a young child's life the same age as my students. This has allowed my students to see what life is like for those in Iraq who are the same age as them. Must have in your middle grade classroom!

I just loved this book because of the perspectives of the children. Being a child, my opinions and perspectives are often overlooked. This book makes me feel like my thoughts are important!

Enjoyed listening to this book! Wonderfully written and read.

Jennifer Roy's Yellow Star was an amazing historical fiction novel, which meant that my expectations for Playing Atari With Saddam Hussein were pretty high. Luckily, this novel was as wonderful as I was hoping.First of all, this is historical fiction (1991) that I remember occurring during my childhood. When the United States invaded Iraq in 1991 I heard the news reports from the comfort of home, located safely in the United States. In this novel, based on a true story, we get to see the other side of things as Ali and his family are located in Iraq, enduring bombings and food shortages as well as their father's absence as he works as a medic.Roy does a great job of explaining Saddam Hussein's politics and the viewpoint that his parents had toward the dictator. She has also managed to recapture what life was like in 1991, watching American television and playing video games. At book's end we read more about Ali Fadhil and the way his life has unfolded since his time as a boy in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.

Ali Fadhil shares his childhood experience of surviving during “Desert Storm” in Basrah, Iraq; he is ably assisted by author Jennifer Roy. This is a very well-crafted book for young readers, which gives a vivid first-hand view of one of the fortunate children who survived both the Iran-Iraq war and the subsequent conflict with UN forces after Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1991 and the 44-day war which followed. His family – dentist father, math teacher mother and 3 siblings, also survived intact. Fortunately for adult readers, there is also a “postscript” giving Fadhil’s subsequent experience as a translator for the American State Department during Saddam Hussein’s trial, and an epilogue describing his emigration to the United States and attainment of US Citizenship. This makes it a very uplifting story with a happy ending despite the trauma of the war experienced by 11-year-old Ali. Youngsters should relate very well to the young protagonist, with his passion for video games, action comics, sibling rivalry, and yet unexpectedly mature reactions as the reality of the war situation is experienced. I would have enjoyed this story as a child, and I have no hesitation in recommending it now.

This is one of the most heart warming and touching children's books that I have read in a long time.It is the story of a young boy who grows up in Basra, southern port city, in Iraq during the first Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm.Most books that I have read about the war have an anti-American, anti-Christian slant. This one is a great kid's story that manages to be very even-handed.The story does not focus on politics except in a kid friendly way. The boy in the story, now a man in the USA, wasn't a great student, but his dad was a self-made dentist. Many kids will be able to relate to someone trying to deal with parents' expectations.He has a mean brother, and our hero has to deal with many strange situations.The weirdest is when he gets to meet the leader of his country in a very unusual setting ...I don't want to spoil the book for you.Well done!