The Green Bicycle, Haifaa Al Mansour
The Green Bicycle, Haifaa Al Mansour
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The Green Bicycle

Author: Haifaa Al Mansour

Narrator: Ariana Delawari

Unabridged: 8 hr 40 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/22/2015


Synopsis

In the vein of Year of the Dog and The Higher Power of Lucky, this Middle Eastern coming-of-age story is told with warmth, spirit, and a mischievous sense of humor

Spunky eleven-year-old Wadjda lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with her parents. She desperately wants a bicycle so that she can race her friend Abdullah, even though it is considered improper for girls to ride bikes. Wadjda earns money for her dream bike by selling homemade bracelets and mixtapes of banned music to her classmates. But after she's caught, she’s forced to turn over a new leaf (sort of), or risk expulsion from school. Still, Wadjda keeps scheming, and with the bicycle so closely in her sights, she will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Set against the shifting social attitudes of the Middle East, The Green Bicycle explores gender roles, conformity, and the importance of family, all with wit and irresistible heart.

About The Author

Haifaa Al Mansour is a Saudi Arabian film director and screenwriter, and the winner of an EDA Female Focus Award. Her first feature-length film, “Wadjda,” won the Best International Feature Audience Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival, among other awards, and is the basis of this middle grade novel. Her next film, “A Storm in the Stars” starring Elle Fanning, is set to release in 2016. The Green Bicycle is her debut novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Kavita on May 02, 2021

I had come across the film based on this book called Wadjda. It's on Netflix, go watch! The book's author is also the director of the film! Both are wonderful, heart-warming depictions of Saudi society. A brilliant coming of age book about a young Saudi Arabian girl, The Green Bicycle follows the lif......more

Goodreads review by Michelle on September 06, 2016

I loved this book! This is what they're talking about when they say #WeNeedDiverseBooks. We NEED a book about a sassy pants eleven-year-old Saudi Arabian girl who sells forbidden contraband and uses her smarts to save up money to buy a forbidden bicycle. I must admit, I was nervous when I saw this b......more

Goodreads review by Kathleen on May 15, 2016

Wow! The Green Bicycle was published in September 2015, after the very successful 2012 feature film Wadjda garnered world-wide respect for Haifaa Al Mansour, the first female director to come from Saudi Arabia. Sometimes I make the mistake of setting my expectations for a long-awaited book too high,......more

Goodreads review by Nannah on September 27, 2019

Me: Okay, I have to read the book before I watch the movie! Book: “Based on the award-winning film!” Me: … Oh. The book is actually written by Haifaa Al Mansour, the film director and screenwriter who also created … you guessed it, Wadjda. This is also her first novel. It’s also surprisingly well writt......more

Goodreads review by Teresa on April 12, 2017

Wadjda lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where it seems like there are a million rules governing how girls and women are supposed to behave. Wadjda's mother has to cover herself from head to toe, everything but her eyes, when they are out in public, and Wadjda, too, has to wear a long black abayah that......more


Quotes

"A winningly told story of struggle, solidarity, and optimism."—Kirkus Reviews

"Wadjda is a well-executed character: despite her feisty nature, she’s vulnerable and flawed, and her story will resonate with boys and girls alike."—School Library Journal

"Al Mansour’s debut novel is a revelatory glimpse into a culture unfamiliar to many American readers."—Booklist

"This novel has a cinematic sense of place...accessibly written and stealthily gripping."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 

"Fans of feisty protagonists will love this book and root for Wadjda from beginning to end."—School Library Connection

This middle grade novel is based on the acclaimed film Wadjda!

“A slyly subversive delight.”—Dana Stevens, Slate.com

“Wadjda is something rare.”—The Village Voice

“Guaranteed to charm.”—Variety

“Lively and sly... a cultural thunderclap."—NPR.org