The Green Bicycle by Haifaa Al Mansour

Wadjda is an 11-year-old girl who lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She struggles with the expectations of what girls in her country can or cannot do.  As in the inspirational and true storyof Malala, Wadjda is a fictional character who pushes the boundaries of her culture on a daily basis.   She is a budding entrepreneur and earns money by selling her classmates items they are not supposed to have, such as candy and mixed tapes of popular music. When she sees a green bicycle in a store window on her way home one afternoon, she vows she will buy it—even though girls are forbidden from riding bikes.  Although Wadjda lives within the shadow of oppression, it doesn’t over shadow the plot and ultimately The Green Bicycle is a story about family, friendship, and hope.  This is an important book that will provide insight into another culture. Fans of feisty protagonists will love this book and root for Wadjda from beginning to end.