Driving by Starlight

Set in Saudi Arabia, this YA novel "shows teenage girls who take control of their futures by turning the very system that imprisons them against itself" ( Kirkus Reviews , starred review). Sixteen-year-olds Leena and Mishie are best friends. They delight in small rebellions against the Saudi cultural police—secret Western clothing, forbidden music, flirtations. But Leena wants college, independence—she wants a different life. Though her story is specific to her world—a world where it's illegal for women to drive, where a ten-year-old boy is the natural choice as guardian of a fatherless woman— ultimately it's a story about friendship, family, and freedom that transcends cultural differences. "An eye-opening window into the rigidly restricted lives, clandestine rebellions, and consequential choices of women in a land where "everything we want is forbidden or dangerous." — Publishers' Weekly, starred review "In a growing oeuvre centering on experiences of young Muslim women, Deracine's debut stands out for its nuanced characterization and twisting plot." — The Horn Book "Part romance, part thriller, and wholly intriguing, Anat Deracine's Driving by Starlight is an engaging chronicle of a razor-sharp witted girl coming of age in Saudi Arabia." — BookPage