Parents' Guide to Internment

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Common Sense Media Review

Lucinda Dyer By Lucinda Dyer , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Teens fight back in chilling, timely dystopian thriller.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

age 13+

Based on 11 kid reviews

Kids say the book presents a controversial take on representation and issues like Islamophobia, provoking strong reactions among readers; some find it engaging and timely, while others criticize its character development and the portrayal of Muslim culture. There's a divide between those who appreciate its educational value and compelling themes and those who feel the execution falls short, particularly with the main character and her relationships.

  • representation issues
  • character development
  • educational value
  • islamophobia themes
  • diverse perspectives
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

One thing 17-year-old Layla Amin never thought she'd face in life was INTERNMENT by the American government simply because she and her family are Muslim. She lives with her professor father and chiropractor mother in what had always been a liberal college town in California. Her parents aren't particularly religious and her boyfriend, David, is Jewish. How could anyone possibly think they're potential terrorists? But two and a half years ago, a new president was elected, and what followed was a rapid unraveling of democracy -- 18 months since America enacted a Muslim ban, one year since questions on a census landed Muslims on a registry, nine months since the first book burning, and one month since the president declared that "Muslims are a threat to America." When the Exclusion Authority arrives to "relocate" the family, there's no outcry from the neighbors they once considered friends. The family joins thousands of other Muslims at Camp Mobius in the high desert of California, where they have ID numbers stamped on the inside of their wrists. The camp director and guards make no effort to hide their racism and Islamophobia and think nothing of using violence to keep the internees in check. But Layla and a group of friends decide to fight back. With the help of an unexpected ally inside the camp, she's able to contact David and begin to send a series of blog posts to the outside world.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say ( 11 ):

This must-read novel poses a powerful question to readers -- could American democracy be endangered or possibly even destroyed by a culture of fear, racism, and hate? The storyline of Internment has numerous references and comparisons (some subtle and some with explanations) to the deportation of Jews during the Holocaust and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, which some readers may not immediately understand. But this offers an excellent opportunity for teens and parents to talk about why minorities are so often targeted (even in democracies) and what lessons can be learned from these past tragedies.

An Author's Note at the end begins, "When fascism comes to America, it will come draped in the flag." The note gives background on the Japanese American interment and also discusses the current internment camps for people crossing the border and how Latinx characters are portrayed on TV.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how families' forced relocation to camps in Internment. Do you think there's any reason the American government should be allowed to detain or arrest American citizens simply because of their religion or ethnicity?

  • When Layla and her family are forced to leave their home, they're allowed just 10 minutes and one bag. What would you do in that situation? What would you pack and what would you leave behind?

  • What part do you think the media has played in making Americans fearful of certain religious or ethnic groups? How could the media help bring Americans together?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

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