N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock expertly craft the intersection of the lives of two girls-one, a Muslim fleeing civil war, the
other, an American from the South-as they are forced to examine their beliefs and the true meaning of friendship in the midst of
the president's 2017 Muslim ban.
Twelve-year-old Noura Alwan's family is granted asylum in the United States, after spending two years in a Turkish refugee camp,
having fled war-torn Aleppo. They land in Tampa, Florida, on January 30, 2017, just days after the president restricted entry into
the US from nations with a Muslim majority population.
Twelve-year-old Jordyn Johnson is a record-breaking swimmer, but hasn't swum well since her mom had a miscarriage during
one of her meets. Her family has volunteered to help the Alwan family through their church. She knows very few people of Arab
descent or who practice Islam.
The girls' lives intersect at Bayshore Middle School where Jordyn serves as the Alwan children's school ambassador. Noura
knows that her family is safe from the civil unrest in her home country, but is not prepared for the adversity she now faces on
American soil. Jordyn is sympathetic to Noura's situation, but there are other members of their Florida community who see the
refugees' presence to be a threat to their way of life.While the president's Muslim ban tests the resolve and faith of many, it is
friendship that stands strong against fear and hatred.
