Here to Stay
Readers rate it 3.3 (4 on Hardcover)
230 pages · Released Sep 18, 2018 · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Content report card
Here to Stay parent’s guide: what’s inside
Violence
Substance use
What it offers
Educational value
A note for parents
Here to Stay is a thoughtfully written YA novel that tackles Islamophobia, prejudice, and cyberbullying through the eyes of a Persian-American high school basketball player. The story centers on real emotional and social harm—fake terrorist imagery and discriminatory treatment—rather than physical violence, making it appropriate for mature middle grades and up. Farizan handles the serious themes with authenticity and humor, showing characters grappling with identity, friendship, and courage, with ultimately positive and empowering messages about speaking out against prejudice.
Analyzed by AI · 1 month ago
Read it with your kids?
Rate it and suggest an age to help other parents.
From the publisher
“A powerful YA novel about identity and prejudice.” —Entertainment Weekly Bijan Majidi is: Shy around girls Really into comics Decent at basketball Bijan Majidi is not: A terrorist What happens when a kid who’s flown under the radar for most of high school gets pulled off the bench to make the winning basket in a varsi... “A powerful YA novel about identity and prejudice.” —Entertainment Weekly Bijan Majidi is: Shy around girls Really into comics Decent at basketball Bijan Majidi is not: A terrorist What happens when a kid who’s flown under the radar for most of high school gets pulled off the bench to make the winning basket in a varsity playoff game? If his name is Bijan Majidi, life is suddenly high fives in the hallways and invitations to exclusive parties—along with an anonymous photo sent by a school cyberbully that makes Bijan look like a terrorist. The administration says they’ll find and punish the culprit. Bijan wants to pretend it never happened. He’s not ashamed of his Middle Eastern heritage; he just doesn’t want to be a poster child for Islamophobia. Lots of classmates rally around Bijan. Others make it clear they don’t want him or anybody who looks like him at their school. But it’s not always easy to tell your enemies from your friends. Here to Stay is a painfully honest, funny, authentic story about growing up, speaking out, and fighting prejudice.
Shelved under
- Young Adult Fiction
- Fiction
- Young Adult
- LGBTQ
- Romance
- Racism
- bullying
- Islamophobia
- Basketball
- Arab Americans
- Juvenile fiction
- Cyberbullying
Share this guide
ISBN 9781616208721 · Little, Brown Books for Young Readers