“I wanted to write a character whose name was Jihad, and what that truly means is and is embodied in her…I wanted to show you, not tell you, what Jihad is." Zoulfa Katouh, The New Arab

It is remarkably easy to believe we know someone before they have spoken a single word. Sometimes it is a name. Sometimes it is an accent, the clothes they wear or the beliefs we assume they hold. Long before a conversation begins, we often make up stories about people based on headlines, stereotypes and things we've heard.

But what if those stories are wrong?

This question lies at the heart of Zoulfa Katouh's latest young adult novel, The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue. Rather than confronting readers with dramatic speeches or political arguments, the Syrian-Canadian author does something far more powerful: she tells the story of one teenage girl trying to be seen for who she truly is.

Katouh first captivated readers with As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, a bestselling novel set during the Syrian civil war that earned praise for its emotional depth and compassionate portrayal of resilience. Her latest novel shifts away from a war-torn landscape, but it explores a different kind of conflict—one that unfolds quietly in classrooms, hallways and everyday conversations.

At the centre of the story is Jihad, a 17-year-old Syrian American navigating grief after the loss of her mother while adjusting to life at an elite private school. She is also the school's only Muslim student. As she struggles to find her footing, she encounters the subtle and not-so-subtle ways prejudice shapes the lives of those who are constantly expected to explain who they are.