A Very Large Expanse of Sea — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature!
From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice.
It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.
Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.
But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.
Frequently asked questions
Is A Very Large Expanse of Sea appropriate for a 7-year-old?
No explicit violence is mentioned in the search results. The narrative focuses on personal and social challenges rather than physical violence. No scary content is indicated in the search results. The focus is on personal and social issues rather than horror or frightening themes.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have violence?
No explicit violence is mentioned in the search results. The narrative focuses on personal and social challenges rather than physical violence.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have scary content?
No scary content is indicated in the search results. The focus is on personal and social issues rather than horror or frightening themes.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have religious themes?
The main character, Shirin, is a Muslim teen navigating high school life post-9/11. The story explores her identity and experiences related to her faith, including cultural challenges and discrimination.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have racial/cultural content?
The story addresses themes of racism and discrimination faced by Shirin, a Muslim teen, in a post-9/11 context. It highlights her experiences with hate and prejudice due to her identity.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have profanity?
The narrative contains frequent use of profanity, including words like 'f--k', 's--t', and others, reflecting the character's personality and experiences.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have climate change?
No climate themes or environmental issues are mentioned in the search results for this book.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have sexual identity?
The book includes sexual banter and multiple make-out sessions between characters, indicating a romantic subplot with some physical intimacy, but not explicit sexual content.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have gender roles?
While the main character is a hijabi Muslim girl, there are no explicit discussions of traditional or modern gender roles in the search results. The focus is more on her personal journey and experiences.
Does A Very Large Expanse of Sea have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes or characters are mentioned in the search results for 'A Very Large Expanse of Sea'. The narrative focuses on a Muslim teen's experiences post-9/11 without reference to LGBTQ+ issues.
