ACCUSED

In this true story, teenager Adama Bah’s life is turned upside down by unjust laws in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The new I, Witness series of chapter books brings true stories of young people living through historic moments to young readers. In this volume, Guinean immigrant Bah recounts how her life changed after the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City. Bah, 13, is at an Islamic boarding school in Buffalo when the attacks occur. She returns home to New York City to celebrate Ramadan wearing full niqab. But her city and her country have changed: She is the focus of hateful treatment, and in 2005 she and her father are detained. The officers interrogate Bah while denying her constitutional right to an attorney, lying to her, and treating her with complete disrespect. After her release, the aftereffects continue to disrupt her life, and she eventually decides to fight back through the courts. Bah writes with an honesty and urgency that will keep readers turning pages through this fast-paced story. With large font, generous spacing, and simple language, it makes for a very accessible introduction to serious topics. The direct access to Bah’s thoughts as she lived through this painful experience helps readers identify with the humanity inside us all and eschew the politics of othering. Series companion Hurricane, by Salvador Gómez-Colón, relates the experiences of a Puerto Rican teen in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Eye-opening, thought-provoking history for every classroom and bookshelf.