Gr 10 Up —When an explosion rocks a Fourth of July celebration, six Muslim teens are accused of terrorism. All the teens, from various Los Angeles high schools, were attending the annual bonfire sponsored by the Muslim Student Association. Of the six, only two actually knew each other, but before the night is over, they are irrevocably linked forever. Arrested and incarcerated, they experience harsh and unfair treatment because of their homelands and religion. Add to this a police and judicial system that works against them even when knowing the truth, and Shukairy's book is so realistic that it hurts. Each of the six main characters are fully drawn, believable, and sympathetic. The plot structure moves back and forth among the characters and shows each perspective of the events. While the minor gothic element is a bit off-putting and unnecessary, it does not damage the impact of the book. Both the writing and story are so intense at times that readers may find they have to stop to take a breath before continuing. VERDICT Highly recommended for high school students, this would make a great reading group book to discuss.—Janet Hilbun

In this audacious novel by Shukairy (The Next New Syrian Girl), a group of Muslim teenagers suspected of a terrorist attack face pressure from the press, the police, and their own families to turn against one another. Dubbed the Six, the teens—Abdullahi, Muzhda, Nasreen, Qays, Samia, and Zamzam—each come from varying backgrounds; some of them are looking forward to bright futures while others are barely surviving their everyday lives. When all six are picked up by police from Monarch Beach after an oil rig explosion on the Fourth of July, they experience overwhelming Islamophobic paranoia from authorities, are denied basic rights upon their detention, and are kept in the dark about their situations. As new evidence is revealed and investigators threaten to drag the teens’ own secrets into the spotlight, the Six are encouraged to inform on one another to secure their freedom. Now, they each must decide where their loyalties lie by opting to frame a friend or work together. Shukairy swings for the fences, breathing life into each of the six leads who narrate this exhilarating read; interweaving relationships establish a credible and indelible emotional through line, and the story’s resolution is both heartbreaking and stunningly executed. Ages 12–up. Agent: Serene Hakim, Ayesha Pande Literary. (Mar.)