The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

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The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams
Author Daniel Nayeri
Illustrator Daniel Miyares
LanguageEnglish
Genre Adventure
Publisher Levine Querido
Publication date
 March 7, 2023
Publication placeUnited States
Pages244
ISBN 978-1-64614-303-0

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams is a 2023 children's novel written by Iranian-American author Daniel Nayeri and illustrated by Daniel Miyares. Set along the Silk Road, 12-year-old orphan Omar is bought by traveling salesman Samir, who tasks him as an assistant. The two head across the Taklamakan Desert with a caravan into Tajikistan, and Omar soon learns that Samir is a conman with many enemies set on killing Samir for his trickery. Omar bargains for his freedom in exchange for helping Samir stay alive. [1] [2] [3]

Reception

The book earned a Newbery Honor in 2024, [4] and was named one of the best children's books of the year by Kirkus Reviews. [5] The New York Times praised Nayeri's integration of the rich history and accurate portrayal of the varied cultures found along the Silk Road, and Booklist called it "a great story, beautifully told". [3] [6]

References

  1. ↑ Meghan, C. G. (March 10, 2023). "Children's Books: 'The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams'; plus reviews of 'The Tree and the River' and 'Little Pea.'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  2. ↑ Schaffner, A. (2023). "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams". The Horn Book Magazine. 99 (2): 75–76.
  3. 1 2 Sriram, Aditi (March 3, 2023). "A Picaresque Silk Road Adventure About Storytelling Itself". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Youth Media Awards 2024". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 77 (8). Johns Hopkins University Press: 303–308. April 2024. doi:10.1353/bcc.2024.a922553.
  5. ↑ "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams". Kirkus Reviews.
  6. ↑ Khuri, R. (2023). "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams". The Booklist. 119 (12): 68.
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