“I know that America is built on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. All those things have been ripped away from us, and I believe that every American who came before us, who stood up to oppression, who fought to guarantee our right to religious freedom, is looking down on us and telling us to rise up, to speak out, to shout our names to the world. We stand on the shoulders of giants.”
Join Layla Amin, a 17 year old Muslim-American young lady, who lives with her family in futuristic America. Ruled by an Islamophobic president who declares that “Muslims are a threat to America,” Layla, her family, and other Muslim-Americans are in danger.
Within a few months, Muslim- Americans have been gathered up and forced into an internment camp for the safety of the public. This level of hatred and fear has not been acted upon since Pearl Harbor, when Japanese-Americans were placed in internment camps, such as Manzanar, during World War II.
Once in the Camp Mobius, Layla and some of her freedom-fighting friends start creating protests to bring attention to this savagery. As the camp director exploits his power, even Layla’s boyfriend, David, who is Jewish, and some unlikely activists try to help Layla and her friends from outside the camp by informing America about how the Muslim-Americans are being treated.
As the camp director feels his power being threatened, the story escalates to a horrifying nightmare for Layla and her friends. This is a book about racism and hate. It is also a story about grit, courage, perseverance, and the American spirit. Take some time to read this story. It will burn a place in your heart and mind and make you realize how easily Americans can be manipulated and complicit into silence.
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