Abstract
Since emigrating from Bangladesh, fourteen-year-old Nadira and her family have been living in New York City on expired visas, hoping to realize their dream of becoming legal US citizens. But after 9/11, everything changes. Suddenly, being Muslim means you are dangerous—a suspected terrorist. When Nadira's father is arrested and detained at the US-Canadian border, Nadira and her older sister, Aisha, are told to carry on as if everything is the same. The teachers at Flushing High don't ask any questions, but Aisha falls apart. Nothing matters to her anymore—not even college. It's up to Nadira to be the strong one and bring her family back together again.