Not the Girls You’re Looking For

Safi’s YA debut addresses identity, female friendship, and finding your place in the world. High school senior Lulu Saad doesn’t fit neatly in anybody’s boxes—and it’s a real pain. Lulu sees herself as American and Arab: her father is an Iraqi immigrant; her Catholic mom is from Louisiana. But her Houston classmates just see her as Arab (and therefore a terrorist). She likes to party with her three best friends, but she fasts during Ramadan—and her family doesn’t see her as being Muslim enough. Things get messier as she strives to straddle the racial and religious tensions of her two worlds, but is it even possible? Kirkus calls this “delightful and funny but still giving voice to serious issues of sexual consent and xenophobia.” Publisher recommends for ages 13+.