Description: Michael likes to hang out with his friends and play with the latest graphic design software. His parents drag him to rallies held by their anti-immigrant group, which rails against the tide of refugees flooding the country. And it all makes sense to Michael.
 Until Mina, a beautiful girl from the other side of the protest lines, shows up at his school, and turns out to be funny, smart—and a Muslim refugee from Afghanistan. Suddenly, his parents’ politics seem much more complicated.
 Mina has had a long and dangerous journey fleeing her besieged home in Afghanistan, and now faces a frigid reception at her new prep school, where she is on scholarship. As tensions rise, lines are drawn. Michael has to decide where he stands. Mina has to protect herself and her family. Both have to choose what they want their world to look like.

Review: I have been a fan of Randa Abdel-Fattah ever since I read and loved Does My Head Look Big in This?, her YA novel. Her books feature Muslim teen protagonists that face current issues. Her latest book, The Lines We Cross, is another timely read on Islamophobia and xenophobia. Though the book's setting is in Australia, where the author lives, its themes (unfortunately) are easily transferred to many nations today including the U.S.
  The Lines We Cross is told from dual points of view of Mina and Michael. Mina is an Afghani-Australian teen who came to Australia in a boat as a war refugee seeking shelter from her war torn nation. Michael is an Australian natural born citizen whose family fervently opposes Muslim refugees and immigrants from entering Australia. The two characters meet and clash as they both attend a prestigious private school and share classes together. 
  I really enjoyed and felt a close kinship with Mina. She is incredibly smart, sharp, stands up for what she believes in, and no matter what she does she can't help but feel like an outsider. Her mother and stepfather have moved their business and home across Sydney in order for her to attend Victoria College. Though labeled as a "scholarship student", Mina is determined to excel there, despite the culture shock of privilege shocks her constantly. As you can imagine I had a hard time reading Michael's point of view mainly because his activist family espouses a political viewpoint that, though they insist it is merely pragmatic, is unquestionably Islamophobic. It is through getting to know Mina and her backstory of the horrors of living in Afghanistan that begin to open Michael's mind and start questioning his family and his own beliefs. 
 The author tackles the hard topics head-on and explores them fully and with nuance. Though I personally didn't care for the developing romance between Mina and Michael, which felt a bit insta-lovey and unlikely, I did enjoy their interaction which cultivated empathy and understanding. It also helped lighten the tension in the book. True-to-life dialogue and realistic teen social dynamics especially with Michael's best friend, both deepen the tension and provide levity. While the book does tie up in a nice bow in the end, it will hopefully allow readers to come away with a clearer understanding of how bias permeates the lives of those targeted by it.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some mild language in the book including an Australian racial slur. There are also scenes of underage drinking, drug use, and vandalism. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Lucy and Linh by Alice Pung, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas