We Are All We Have

When a teenage girl’s single mom is taken by ICE, everything changes—all of her hopes and dreams for the future have turned into survival.\nSeventeen-year-old Rania is shaken awake in her family's apartment in Brooklyn. ICE is at the door, taking her mother away. But Ammi has done everything right, hasn’t she? Their asylum case is fine.
This was supposed to be Rania’s greatest summer: hanging out with her best friend, Fatima, and getting ready for college in the fall.
But it’s 2019, and nothing is certain.
Now, along with her younger brother, Kamal, and a new friend, Carlos, Rania must figure out how to survive. A road trip leads to searching for answers to questions she didn’t even think to ask.
In this vivid exploration of what happens when the country you have put your hopes into is fast shutting down, award-winning author Marina Budhos shows us how one girl bursting with dreams navigates secrets, love, and the lure of the open road.\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 9 Up—Seventeen-year-old Rania is set to graduate alongside her BFF Fatima, has a summer job lined up and feels everything is going her way. But her mother Ammi, who is in the process of applying for political asylum from Pakistan, is detained one night in an ICE raid. The normalcy of her senior year shatters. Rania lands in a shelter with her little brother. But Ammi, full of dreams of higher education for her children, has hustled and done a lot of things right: there is money stashed, paperwork in order, a lawyer on call, and the car she used as an Uber driver is parked outside the apartment. Rania can take off in the car and take what she can into her own hands to help her mother's case, but not without emotional risk. Readers stepping lightly into romance will appreciate the slow build of affection that blossoms between Rania and Carlos, who has also been alone since his aunt was deported to Mexico. As Rania seeks support from her estranged extended family, readers get a glimpse into Pakistani dating norms, the dangers facing journalists, and the ongoing oppression of women in her home country. A relatable read for teens discovering their native cultures, figuring out the nuances in complex parental relationships, and taking risks while moored with a strong sense of identity and an attuned moral compass. VERDICT Recommended for readers looking for greater understanding of the immigration experience via a masterful blend of character- and plot-based storytelling.—Sara Lissa Paulson