American Heart

A powerful and thought-provoking YA debut from New York Times bestselling author Laura Moriarty.

Imagine a United States in which registries and detainment camps for Muslim-Americans are a reality.

Fifteen-year-old Sarah-Mary Williams of Hannibal, Missouri, lives in this world, and though she has strong opinions on almost everything, she isn’t concerned with the internments because she doesn’t know any Muslims. She assumes that everything she reads and sees in the news is true, and that these plans are better for everyone’s safety.

But when she happens upon Sadaf, a Muslim fugitive determined to reach freedom in Canada, Sarah-Mary at first believes she must turn her in. But Sadaf challenges Sarah-Mary’s perceptions of right and wrong, and instead Sarah-Mary decides, with growing conviction, to do all she can to help Sadaf escape.

The two set off on a desperate journey, hitchhiking through the heart of an America that is at times courageous and kind, but always full of tension and danger for anyone deemed suspicious.

Imagine a United States in which registries and detainment camps for Muslim Americans are a reality. Fifteen-year-old Sarah-Mary Williams of Hannibal, Missouri, lives in this world, and though she has strong opinions on almost everything, she isn’t concerned with the internments because she doesn’t know any Muslims.

But when she happens upon a Muslim fugitive in hiding, she finds herself reconsidering her assumptions about a person she has been taught to fear—and what true patriotism requires. 

The two set off on a dangerous journey, hitchhiking their way through the heart of America, discovering courage and kindness in the most unexpected places.

“An effective tale of dawning awareness and the risks and rewards of following one’s conscience.” - Publishers Weekly

“An engrossing thriller; readers will find that literature still has the power to put a face to suffering.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“An emotionally intense exploration of extremist ‘patriotic’ ideology, the dangers of brainwashing and blind spots, and some of the components of our nation’s social fabric that threaten to destroy us.” - Kirkus Reviews