Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine - ADVISABLE

Driving by Starlight by Anat Deracine, 280 pages.  Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2018.  $18.

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G (hint of LGBT); Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Leena and her best friend Mishail find what fun they can living in Saudi Arabia under strict Islamic laws.  It’s always a tightrope walk, especially for two young women who are getting ready to graduate from school.  When Leena tries to protect Mishail from trouble, a jealous rival sparks a rift between them, leaving Leena to find new friends and perhaps a different way.

I love reading about other cultures and Deracine immerses us into modern Saudi culture through the eyes of a teenaged girl.  She also helps us see a bit of the boys’ point of view.  The only reason I mark it as ADVISABLE and LOW is because it will need handselling to find its audience.  

Cindy, Middle School Librarian