What It Is About: Jason and his mother are living in New York City. His parents are from Afghanistan, but Jason has lived his whole life in America. There comes a day when Jason's mother shares her story of how she arrived in the United States and that her entry into the country wasn't completely legal. When Jason sees his mother being taken away by police officers, he is at a complete loss as to what to do. Jason decides to go see his "aunt" on the other side of the city. During his "traveling" he has an accident that lands him in the hospital. While at the hospital he meets a girl named Max. She doesn't tell him the truth as to why she is there, but the two of them escape and work together to find Jason's aunt. Jason and Max encounter more than one obstacle while on the "run". After Max has a medical emergency, Jason is left on his own to finish his journey to safety.
What I Thought Of It: The story was strong, engaging, and interesting. I enjoyed the character of Jason and Max. There were a lot of over-the-top adventures and several cliff-hangers along the way. The plot moved quickly and kept my interest during the entire listening experience. Several times during the story, I did think that some events were a bit much, easily resolved, and not always believable. Even with these "actions", I found myself rooting for Jason and his quest for his aunt, his mother, and the answers he was searching for.
Who Should Read It: I could see middle-grade readers enjoying the story of Jason, Max, and their wild adventure in the city of New York. Even though there was a lot of action, readers will also learn about what is it like to be an Afgan-American. The novel could make for a wonderful read aloud to a group of fourth, fifth, and/or sixth graders. I look forward to book-talking this novel next fall. Happy Reading!
Rating: 4 STARS out of 5 Stars
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