A Very Large Expanse of Sea -- Tahereh Mafi, Hardcover

Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice.

It's 2002, a year after 9/11. It's an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who's tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She's tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments--even the physical violence--she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she's built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He's the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her--they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds--and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she's not sure she'll ever be able to let it down.

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 10/16/2018
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.80w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9780062866561
Age Range: 13-17

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5
Point Value: 10
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 199230 / Very Large Expanse of Sea


Review Citation(s):
Shelf Awareness 10/19/2018
Publishers Weekly 08/20/2018
School Library Journal 05/01/2019 pg. 122
Booklist 09/15/2018 pg. 68
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 10/01/2018
BookPage 10/01/2018
Voice of Youth Advocates 12/01/2018 - Recommended - Hard To Beat
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/0001
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2019 - Recommended, Satisfactory