An Infidel in Paradise
by S.J. Laidlaw
Set in Pakistan, this is the story of a teen girl living with her mother and siblings in a diplomatic compound. As if getting used to another new country and set of customs and friends isn't enough, she must cope with an increasingly tense political situation that becomes dangerous with alarming speed. Her life and those of her sister and brother depend on her resourcefulness and the unexpected help of an enigmatic Muslim classmate.
close this panelSusan Laidlaw has twenty years experience as a teacher and counselor in schools and clinical settings around the world. She has published articles on parenting and has led workshops for parents and professional educators on a diverse range of topics related to raising and working with third culture children. When she isn't backpacking through Asia or birdwatching around her island home in Honduras, she can be found writing stories. Susan Laidlaw currently resides in Indonesia.
close this panel
". . . I hope every teen reads this book, and that everyone who knows a teen reads it. An Infidel in Paradise was a pleasure to read (even if it did make me cry more than once), and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more work by S.J. Laidlaw."
–About.com
“S.J. Laidlaw, a social worker now living in Indonesia, has first-hand experience with what she calls “rotational children,” which she defines as kids who “grow up abroad moving from one country to the next.” In her debut novel, An Infidel in Paradise … the rotating kid is Emma, a 16-year-old who is always the stranger in the strange land…. The portrayal of Emma’s strained relationship with her family remains a sustaining strength of the novel….”
—The National Post
