–Kirkus Reviews starred review
★ “A winsome supporting cast, snappy dialogue, and nonstop adventures just shy of fantastic make this a thought-provoking, heartwarming page-turner.”
–Publishers Weekly starred review
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A young boy fears that his mother, an illegal immigrant from Afghanistan, has been deported, and he runs away to New York City to find help. A timely and poignant story about contemporary Muslims by the acclaimed author of One Half from the East.
In the tradition of Rebecca Stead and Thanhha Lai, this adventurous and emotionally charged own voices novel by New York Times bestselling author Nadia Hashimi shows the fierce love of a family determined not to be torn apart.
Jason has just learned that his Afghan mother has been living illegally in the United States since his father was killed in Afghanistan. Although Jason was born in the US, it’s hard to feel American now when he’s terrified that his mother will be discovered—and that they will be separated.
When he sees his mother being escorted from her workplace by two officers, Jason feels completely alone. He boards a train with the hope of finding his aunt in New York City, but as soon as he arrives in Penn Station, the bustling city makes him wonder if he’s overestimated what he can do.
After an accident lands him in the hospital, Jason finds an unlikely ally in a fellow patient. Max, a whip-smart girl who wants nothing more than to explore the world on her own terms, joins Jason in planning a daring escape out of the hospital and into the skyscraper jungle—even though they both know that no matter how big New York City is, they won’t be able to run forever.
From the author of One Half from the East comes a timely and affecting story about one family in an impossible situation—pulled right from today’s headlines about immigration—who is willing to move mountains to stay together.
Reviews
“Jason’s strong narrative voice illustrates the plight of a family torn apart and what it means to be an American child of an undocumented parent.”
–Booklist
“The story is fast-paced and engaging with sympathetic protagonists who raise thought-provoking contemporary issues. An absorbing read.”
-School Library Journal