Ask the Passengers

A.S. King's "Ask the Passengers" is a poignant young adult novel exploring themes of identity, family dysfunction, and the courage to be oneself. Astrid Jones, a high schooler in a narrow-minded small town, grapples with a secret: she's falling in love with a girl. Unable to confide in her neglectful parents or judgmental community, she finds solace in an unusual ritual, sending her love and profound questions to strangers on airplanes. This unique narrative device allows the story to touch upon universal feelings of isolation and the unexpected power of connection. The book has been praised for its intelligent, provocative, and hopeful portrayal of a young woman's journey toward self-acceptance amidst prejudice. It's ideal for readers aged 12-18, particularly those questioning their identity or feeling misunderstood.

"Astrid Jones copes with her small town's gossip and narrow-mindedness by staring at the sky and imagining that she's sending love to the passengers in the airplanes flying high over her backyard. Maybe they'll know what to do with it. Maybe it'll make them happy. Maybe they'll need it. Her mother doesn't want it, her father's always stoned, her perfect sister's too busy trying to fit in, and the people in her small town would never allow her to love the person she really wants to: another girl named Dee. There's no one Astrid feels she can talk to about this deep secret or the profound questions that she's trying to answer. But little does she know just how much sending her love--and asking the right questions--will affect the passengers' lives, and her own, for the better"--