Description

‘Blazes with searing honesty and unflinching emotional truth’ Becky Albertalli, award-winning author of SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA

From the New York Times bestselling author of Internment comes a timely and gripping social-suspense novel about book banning, activism, and standing up for what you believe in.

‘Reading is dangerous because it shows us the truth. Words give us power; that’s why some adults want to silence us’
Noor Khan is the new girl at school. Moving to the tiny town of Bayberry with her mother and sister after their family life is upended, she’s determined to keep her head down and make it through her final year, unnoticed.

While hiding out in her school library, Noor notices that hundreds of books are being removed from the shelves and boxed up: a new school policy banning books that parents object to. Worse, almost all the books being targeted are by queer and BIPOC authors.

Outraged, Noor and her new friends decide to read some of the banned books out loud to their classmates, to protest this new policy at school. But in Bayberry, trouble is never far behind.

Can Noor effect change by speaking up, while navigating the politics of small-town life? And can she trust the son of the school board president, who she finds herself falling for?

‘Rings with truth and hope’ Joanna Ho, bestselling author of THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US

Publisher Review

‘With pin-sharp attention to the complexities of grief, anger, and hope, Samira Ahmed gives us a main character who connects us with our own hearts and a story that connects us with our power to change our world’ * Anna-Marie McLemore, author of National Book Award nominee SELF-MADE BOYS * Ring with truth and hope * Joanna Ho, bestselling author of THE SILENCE THAT BINDS US * ‘[Ahmed] employs high stakes, increasing tensions, romantic near-misses, and adult hypocrisy to powerful effect’ * Publisher’s Weekly, starred review * ‘Blazes with searing honesty and unflinching emotional truth’ * Becky Albertalli * ‘A relevant, powerful, tender story of what it takes to resist, of what it means to rise’ * Renee Watson * ‘[Ahmed] employs high stakes, increasing tensions, romantic near-misses, and adult hypocrisy to powerful effect’ * Publisher’s Weekly, starred review * ‘Blazes with searing honesty and unflinching emotional truth’ * Becky Albertalli *