Behind You Is the Sea

"If you want to know the challenges that Palestinian Americans face in the U.S., you must read this book. It follows several families in Baltimore as they wrestle with poverty, religion, living in between two cultures and their pursuit of the American Dream. There is Marcus, a cop who stands up for his Arab sister who is dating a Black man; Samira, who is shamed for being a childless divorcee (despite being a successful lawyer); and Layla, a high school student who pushes back against the drama club’s production of Aladdin, which she says perpetuates racist stereotypes about Arabs. How their lives intersect will leave you at the edge of your seat."