The Next New Syrian Girl

<B>A Syrian American and Syrian refugee who are at odds must chase a haunting secret that leads them all the way to Jordan in this sharp-witted novel perfect for fans of <I>I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter</I>. <BR/><BR/> Khadija Shami</B> is a Syrian American high school senior raised on boxing and football. Saddled with a monstrous ego and a fierce mother to test it, she dreams of escaping her sheltered life to travel the world with her best friend.<BR/>  <BR/><B>Leene Tahir</B> is a Syrian refugee, doing her best to adjust to the wildly unfamiliar society of a suburban Detroit high school while battling panic attacks and family pressures.<BR/>  <BR/> When their worlds collide the result is catastrophic. To Khadija, Leene embodies the tame, dutiful Syrian ideal she's long rebelled against. And to Leene, Khadija is the strong-willed, closed-off American who makes her doubt her place in the world.<BR/>  <BR/> But as Khadija digs up Leene’s past, a startling and life-changing discovery forces the two of them closer together. As the girls secretly race to unravel the truth, a friendship slowly and hesitantly begins blooming. Doubts are cast aside as they realize they have more in common than they each expected. What they find takes them on a journey all the way to Jordan, challenging what each knows about the other and herself. <BR/>  <BR/> Fans of Samira Ahmed’s <I>Love, Hate, and Other Filters </I>and Tahereh Mafi’s <I>A Very Large Expanse Of</I> <I>Sea</I> will love Khadija and Leene’s sharp-witted voices in this dual POV narrative. <I>The Next New Syrian Girl</I> is a poignant and timely blend of guilt, nostalgia, devotion, and bad-ass hijabees.<BR/>