Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow

He thought Id forged my moms name on the slip. How stupid is that? On this thing Mom just made a kind of squiggly shape on the page. That jerk didnt even think about what he was saying, didnt even ask himself why her signature might be weird. Hes one of those people who think illiteracy is like AIDS. It only exists in Africa. --from Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow "A tale for anyone who has ever lived outside looking in, especially from that alien country called adolescence. A funny, heartfelt story from a wise guy who happens to be a girl. If youve ever fallen in love, if youve ever had your heart broken, this story is your story." -- Sandra Cisneros, author of THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET The Paradise projects are only a few metro stops from Paris, but here its a whole different kind of France. Dorias father, the Beard, has headed back to their hometown in Morocco, leaving her and her mom to cope with their mektoub--their destiny--alone. They have a little help-- from a social worker sent by the city, a psychiatrist sent by the school, and a thug friend who recites Rimbaud. It seems like fates dealt them an impossible hand, but Doria might still make a new life. Shell prove the projects arent only about rap, soccer, and religious tension. Shell take the Arabic word kif-kif (same old, same old) and mix it up with the French verb kiffer (to really like something). Now she has a whole new motto: KIFFE KIFFE TOMORROW. "Moving and irreverent, sad and funny, full of rage and intelligence. [Gu?nes] characters are unforgettable, her voice fresh, and her book a delight." -- Laila Lalami, author of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits Fa?za Gu?ne, the child of Algerian immigrants, grew up in the public housing projects of Pantin, outside Paris. This is her first book.