Book overview
New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor Book!
A gorgeously written, hopeful middle grade novel in verse about a young girl who must leave Syria to move to the United States, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Aisha Saeed.
Jude never thought she'd be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.
At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven't quite prepared her for starting school in the US--and her new label of "Middle Eastern," an identity she's never known before.
But this life also brings unexpected surprises--there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.
This lyrical, life-affirming story is about losing and finding home and, most importantly, finding yourself.
It's a story of heartbreak and hope, showing what it truly means to belong.
- A Lyrical Novel in Verse: Told in beautiful, accessible free verse, this story captures Jude's innermost feelings as she navigates a new country and a new life.
- An Emotional Immigrant Story: Jude leaves her father and beloved brother behind in Syria to move to Cincinnati, discovering that America is both louder and more surprising than the movies she loves.
- A Brave Muslim Heroine: Readers will root for Jude as she grapples with a new "Middle Eastern" identity and finds the courage to be herself, both on and off the stage of the school musical.
- Finding Friendship and Family: From a new baby sister on the way to unexpected friendships at school, Jude learns that home can be built with the people you love, wherever you are.
