Through Every Dark Night

Desperate to keep her undocumented single mom from being deported, Yolanda enlists the help of her classmates-many of whom are facing their own fears-in a race against time to keep her small world from coming apart. Told from multiple viewpoints, this contemporary YA novel follows a diverse group of high school students during their senior year. As they help Yolanda combat anti-immigrant rhetoric, the teens experience fear and prejudice themselves. Amari worries about racial profiling and living while Black. Sahar is called a terrorist when she wears hijab. Josh faces antisemitism. Kayah tries to hide her homelessness. Brad wears his red political cap as a shield against all of them. Opinions clash, secrets are revealed, friendships are formed-and tested-and romantic feelings develop as the classmates organize fundraisers, petitions, and a protest march. If the students' efforts to stop the deportation are not successful, Yolanda, a U.S. citizen herself, will have to make the hardest decision of her life: move to Mexico with her mother, or stay in the U.S. where she has no family. Reflective of actual headlines, the experiences of Yolanda and her classmates underscore the need for hope despite feeling afraid, unwanted, or unequal. Through Every Dark Night is a testament to the power of family, in all its forms, and unity in the face of intolerance and injustice.