The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue

What if you felt like you'd cried all the colours away? The heart-wrenching new story of friendship, loss and identity from the author of international bestseller As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow.

Joining an exclusive high school should be a fresh start for Jihad after her mother's sudden death. But she's the only Muslim student there; her hijab and even her name make her new classmates suspicious.

Only one person treats her with kindness but Jihad can't help questioning his motives. It's hard to trust anyone when she meets indifference or hostility all around her. As tension mounts, she finds refuge in an old sketchbook and in the stories her mama used to tell her. She is determined to focus on making it to art school and a brighter future, but as she starts illustrating her mother's memories, her canvas becomes bigger than she could ever have imagined.

Can Jihad become as resilient as the true meaning of her name, and let the colour back into her life?

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Author
Zoulfa Katouh

Editors
Alex Antscherl and Fliss Stevens

Illustrators
Jenny Zemanek

Designer
Danielle Rippengill

Age
Young Adult

Format
198mm x 129mm, 448pp; hardback

Publishers
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK, June 2026)

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