(2) 4-6 In an affecting story set in Santa Monica, California, in the 1970s, a young biracial girl at the center of a calamitous family dynamic learns to navigate momentous change and find her own place in the world. Life is not as it should be for eleven-year-old Stevie. Her parents have moved, which means she has to adjust to a new school. She does not make friends easily and is targeted by bullies over her natural hairstyle. Her best friend since third grade abandons their friendship when she joins a clique of mean girls. At home, her parents are constantly fighting because her stay-at-home mother wants to pursue a career over the strenuous objections of her chauvinistic father's ideas of women's roles in society. And then an older cousin, Naomi, who is involved with the Black Panther Party and is described as "full of fight," arrives to live with the family. Parsons's keenly empathetic portrayal of Stevie and her tribulations is complemented by an equally compelling attention to detail in establishing the era. Particular attention to the social agenda of the Black Panther Party adds validity to the setting. Themes of empowerment, friendship, bullying, interracial marriage (Stevie's father is white; her mother is Black), trust, divorce, and social justice are interwoven in perfect balance to create a satisfying ending in this honest coming-of-age story.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) YA It's a big summer for middle schooler Maggie: she is starting a braiding business with her best friend, Daija, and she will be meeting her half-sister, Callie, who is from the Bahamas, for the first time. Callie's mother recently passed away, and Callie will be moving in with Maggie's family in Jacksonville, Florida. While Maggie is welcoming to Callie, Daija is not so happy about this new sister, as she and Maggie are practically sisters. Protective of her friendship and their new braiding enterprise, Daija is not interested in embracing Callie and is determined not to be replaced by a stranger. However, Callie soon becomes the least of their worries as nemesis Angela and her crew decide to open a competing braid business and start to steal their customers. Is it possible for the three girls to overcome their differences and insecurities and become sisters and friends? Drama between the Braid Girls and the Sistahs Who Braid heats up as the competition for business leads to a memorable climax. A summer crush for Maggie lends extra excitement. Told through the alternating points of view of the three girls, the story explores themes of friend and family relationships, grief, bullying, divorce, and parental absence, all handled with care and sensitivity.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Avery is convinced her family has made a huge mistake in moving from Washington, DC, to Bardell County, Georgia. Biracial and queer, Avery is not sure how she will be received in her mother's Southern hometown--and if her grandmother is any indication, acceptance won't be easy. Elderly, ornery, and dying of cancer, Mama Letty is caustic toward everyone, and neither she nor Avery's mother will give an explanation for their strained relationship. Plunged into mysteries surrounding her relatives, Avery is expected to follow the family motto and "focus forward" while remaining frustrated that no one will provide answers about their past. Two classmates, an attractive Black next-door neighbor and the white heir of the richest family in town, encourage Avery to build a bond with her grandmother--and as she does, she discovers that all of their families' pasts are intertwined. The novel addresses issues of race and sexuality head-on, along with questions of who should be memorialized. Third-person historical accounts of Bardell County are interspersed within Avery's first-person narration, and the pacing and structure lend themselves to a dynamic and astonishing conclusion.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Adapted by Ibram X. Kendi. Illustrated by Loveis Wise. Kendi's (Stamped, rev. 5/20) adaptation of a short story by Hurston softens (or leaves out) the original's violence, adds elements that are explained in a historical endnote, and retains the narrative frame of a "Mighty River" telling a brook a story about people in love. The tale begins with Bentley, who escapes enslavement and marries Swift Deer, a Cherokee woman. They have a daughter they name ­Magnolia Flower, who grows up during the Civil War and falls in love with a brown-skinned man named John. Bentley doesn't approve of John and locks him up to keep the lovers apart. Magnolia Flower frees him and they run away. The story ends with their return to the banks of the river forty years later. Both the lyrical text and the flowing digital illustrations let the theme of love running through Hurston's stories shine. Wise's (The People Remember, rev. 11/21; Ablaze with Color, rev. 3/22) brightly colored images capture the beauty of the forest and the love between ­Magnolia Flower and John. In his appended author's note, Kendi explains his intention behind adapting a short story for adults as a picture-book text: "The earlier we expose our children to our literary treasures--to our literary legends like Hurston--the ­better."

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) YA Madison Washington has always been bullied because she's skittish and quiet and dresses in 1950s attire. She tolerates the incessant taunting because she has more to worry about than her small-minded classmates. Maddy is biracial and passing as white in a small Southern town that still has segregated dances, and her abusive father is a religious, conservative fanatic who treats her Black heritage as a sin and forces her to pray in front of photos of white Hollywood stars from the past. Then an unexpected rainstorm causes her flat-ironed hair to rise, revealing that Maddy is not the white girl she has pretended to be, and the bullying intensifies. Meanwhile, a classmate captures a racist incident on video and it goes viral, so student leaders propose an integrated prom to fix the school's reputation. When several students commit a racist prank against Maddy at prom, they find out that she has another, ­supernatural secret--one that will result in a deadly incident to be pieced together years later by the true-crime podcast that serves as the book's framing device. This reimagining of King's Carrie is a thrilling, unflinching horror narrative that takes on colorism, racism, classism, microaggressions, white saviorism, and respectability politics. A perfect choice for fans of Àbíké-Íyímídé's Ace of Spades.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) YA After their parents are brutally murdered for miscegenation in 1936, fraternal twin infants Charlie and Magnolia are separated. Because she can pass for white, Magnolia Heathwood is raised as a Southern belle on a plantation in Eureka, Georgia, by her white grandmother, Blanche, who keeps Magnolia unaware of her racial heritage. As the darker of the sisters, Charlie Yates is taken away from the Jim Crow South to Harlem and raised by her Black grandmother, Jeannette. On her deathbed in 1953, Blanche tells Magnolia of her parentage, and this truth causes Magnolia's reflection to mysteriously disappear. Meanwhile, Charlie has been thriving as a young activist; when Jeannette falls ill and asks to be buried in her hometown, they make the journey back to Eureka. Once there, Charlie learns about the circumstances of her birth, the existence of her sister, and a curse that affects them all. Raised in different worlds, Charlie and Magnolia must work together to end the family curse before they lose each other forever. McWilliams uses American history and Southern Gothic elements to create a thrilling story filled with complex characters and significant social themes, including colorism and race relations. Readers who enjoy historical fantasy narratives, such as Corthron's Daughters of Jubilation (rev. 1/21), will appreciate this captivating story of resilience, hope, and love.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) YA Simidele is a Mami Wata, a mermaid who gathers the souls of the dead to be blessed by the Yoruba deity Yemoja. When Kola, a young man not yet dead, is thrown from a passing slave ship, she refuses to let him drown and carries him to a nearby island. But by interfering, Simi risks bringing punishment down on all the Mami Wata and on Yemoja herself. Simi sets out, with Kola's help, to find two rings that can summon the Creator so she can beg for mercy. Bowen combines a classic quest plot with a rich and still-underrepresented mythology (see also Adeyemi's [cf2Children of Blood and Bone, rev. 5/18), complicating the stakes with every plot twist. Creatures who assist or oppose Simi and Kola, as well as the ever-present grief of the slave trade (specifically the start of Portuguese slave trading in the mid-1400s, per an author's note), also serve to build out the unearthly tale's West African basis. As Simi and Kola travel together, the attraction between them grows, but Simi's knowledge that acting on her feelings will turn her into sea foam makes for a slow-burn (if occasionally repetitious) romantic arc that enhances this ­inventive supernatural fantasy.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(2) YA Spencer Harris begins sophomore year at a new school in Ohio, hoping for a fresh start after having had to transfer because of "the Incident" at his previous school: Spencer is trans, and he was outed and threatened during his freshman year. He succeeds at finding his circle on the soccer team and in the Queer Straight Alliance, but even there he's tentative about revealing his queer and, especially, his transgender identity. To Spencer, fitting in seems dependent on remaining in the closet, but a love interest and other circumstances force him to consider whether he wants to live with a secret. The story briefly touches on secondary topics such as racial identity (Spencer is described as Black, his family as interracial) and disabilities (Spencer's brother is autistic) but keeps the focus on the trans experience. Debut author Fitzsimons's conversational writing style invites empathy for the cast of clearly drawn characters and their journeys of self-discovery. In addition to providing a basic understanding of some of the daily challenges faced by trans youth and their families, the story models how a community can come together to take care of one of its own. A heartwarming tale of determination and one teen's path to authentic living.

Reviewer: Nicholas A. Brown | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(1) YA Williams-Garcia, whose YA titles include the 1995 classic Like Sisters on the Homefront and Jumped (rev. 3/09), offers an unusual angle on the subject of slavery with this sobering depiction of life on a nearly bankrupt sugar plantation in Louisiana just prior to the Civil War. Here the lives of the white Guilbert family members and their enslaved "holdings" are intimately interwoven in a series of threads that span generations and reveal the social and political boundaries within which the intriguing cast of characters exist and survive. The eighty-year-old Guilbert matriarch, Madame Sylvie, insists on sitting for a portrait the family can't afford in her efforts to retain a connection to the past. Her son and nemesis Lucien, the manager of the plantation, desperately schemes to avoid foreclosure. His son, essentially engaged to the daughter of a wealthy planter, is in love with a fellow West Point cadet. A family friend spends the summer because her mother hopes the Guilberts will cure her of her unconventional and unladylike ways. Among the enslaved young people on the plantation who are subjected to cruelty as an everyday way of life are Madame Sylvie's personal servant Thisbe and Lucien's "quadroon" daughter Rosalie, who is ostracized by her grandmother but viewed by her father as the family's ticket to solvency. In this sweeping, richly researched, and powerfully delivered tale of privilege and exploitation--often a difficult read--Williams-Garcia's storytelling is magnificent; her voice honest and authentic. Appended with an author's note and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(3) 4-6 In this fourth series entry, the multiracial Vanderbeeker family discover that their friend Orlando has been evicted from his apartment and determine to help him find him a home. (Their motto: "We always get involved. Always.") At the same time, the family must cope with their grief when beloved Harlem-brownstone neighbor Mr. Jeet dies, as well as lend support to former foe Mr. Biederman as he prepares to run the New York City Marathon. As in previous books, subplots (some more contrived than others) involving all five Vanderbeeker children--from a misunderstanding revolving around the homecoming dance to making a new school friend--are woven into the main story. A wholesome, touching ensemble novel, for fans of Jeanne Birdsall's the Penderwicks and Emma Donoghue's the Lotterys.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) YA Irascible Jane McKeene and posh Katherine Deveraux, zombie-dispatching graduates of Miss Preston's School of Combat for Negro Girls, are back in this suspenseful, satisfying sequel to Dread Nation (rev. 5/18). After surviving the fall of false utopia Summerland to the undead, Jane and Katherine flee to the neighboring settlement of Nicodemus, where they hope to find temporary safety. But no sooner are they within its gates than Jane is imprisoned for past crimes, and Katherine must find a way to break her out before the horde breaks in. Multiple betrayals, back (and front) stabbings, and an arduous trek to California test Jane and Katherine's bond, along with an abrupt separation and the tragic death of one of their closest allies. Ireland threads her thrilling plot with incisive commentary about race, gender, and power that will appeal to today's activist teen readers. Her alternate Old West (a mirror of current societal woes) is full of warring ethnic and cultural factions, each more suspicious of the other, until the undead are the least of their worries. Katherine laments, "How can we make the world a better place if we are always at odds with one another for every single kind of reason under the sun?" The answer may lie in future adventures, as the novel's ending leaves room for possible exploits to come. An author's note contains further reading about the role of Black Americans in the Old West.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. When G'ma asks Scoob to go on "a little adventure" during spring break, he doesn't hesitate to say yes (especially since he's been grounded for fighting at school). Once inside her "sweet ride"--the new RV she bought after selling her house--Scoob isn't so sure he made the right choice. First, there are the people on the road who look at them funny because he is Black and she is white. Then there's G'ma's treasure box, which contains old maps, postcards, newspaper clippings, and a copy of Travelers' Green Book: For Vacation Without Aggravation, 1963. Next, Scoob catches his grandmother changing license plates and refusing to answer Dad's calls. Finally, there's G'ma talking in her sleep about "fixing it." But what is "it"? Scoob isn't so sure he knows who his grandmother is anymore. Young readers will enjoy the mystery and suspense created by G'ma's unusual behavior and the family secrets that are revealed. Occasional maps and illustrations appear throughout, highlighting important moments in each chapter. This middle-grade debut by Stone (Dear Martin, rev. 11/17; Jackpot, rev. 11/19) is an entertaining and unexpected intergenerational caper.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) YA Afro–Puerto Rican teen Beatriz is torn between her desire to dance and her blood and chosen families in mid-1980s New Jersey. When the TV show Fame announces a casting call, she tries to balance "gang life" (chosen family) with her "dance life." Will she follow her dreams? Charles ([cf2Like Vanessa) presents a strong, smart, and sometimes snarky teenager whose family has developed mechanisms of survival in the face of abuse and injustice.

Reviewer: Sujei Lugo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Yesenia Moises. Simone asks first her mother, who is black, and then her father, who is white, "Am I black or white?" Following their unhelpful answers, Simone sets out to find a color "of her very own." The story, supported by art with an airbrushed look, lacks verisimilitude, but it has a ring of emotional truth that may reassure readers grappling with questions of identity.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 A big family, lots of pets, harried loving parents, a chaotic house, a supporting cast of eccentrics, a seemingly intractable problem in which kids save the day--in this, the third outing for the Vanderbeeker family of Harlem (The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, rev. 11/17, and sequel), Glaser ticks all the boxes of a classic middle-grade ensemble piece. The five Vanderbeeker children, established in previous books as ingenious and energetic, apply their particular skills to outwitting a new antagonist--City Hall--when an inspector closes down their mother's cookie-making business. In a single crammed week of spring break--which also includes building a treehouse, solving a mystery (who is dropping off abandoned animals at their home every night?), and an important violin audition--these genial children organize an inventive new family-business plan. At one point in the novel ten-year-old Oliver needs a story "where he knew everything would turn out all right." This is that story. It's funny, with character-grounded quirkiness, just enough slapstick, and no winking over kids' heads. The adults in their supportive urban community are benevolent but objects of some pity: "Being an adult is awful," declares thirteen-year-old Jessie. The whole thing is a little retro, very welcoming to the reader, and sweet to the core.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Khosi (This Thing Called the Future) tries to support herself and her sister as a sangoma, only to be accused of witchcraft. Then she learns she is pregnant. When a hate crime leaves a dead Somali immigrant at Khosi's door, she feels duty-bound to speak out in her South African community. The story's blend of Catholicism, traditional beliefs, and Western scientific thought allows readers to sample Khosi's culture.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) YA Growing up in a low-income housing project, thirteen-year-old friends and dancers Mila and Tai have always trusted each other. After living with her aunt for a summer, Mila seems to care only about auditioning for a new gifted arts program. But Tai's not the only one who's been hurt, and eventually Mila reveals her secret. Readers will root for both young women as they tell their stories in memorable alternating voices.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) 4-6 Accomplished pianist Isabella loves both of her parents. Unfortunately, they no longer love each other, which means she divides her time between two homes and blended families. Having a black father and a white mother also has Isabella examining her biracial identity. A hate incident at school and an unexpected confrontation threaten to tear apart her already fragile world in Draper's perceptive and engaging story.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(2) 4-6 We catch up with the biracial family from The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street in summertime. After an emergency sends elderly neighbor Mr. Jeet to the hospital, the children decide to make a community garden as a surprise for him. While mentions of cellphones and Minecraft set the book solidly in the present, the independence of the children and the goodness and support of their Harlem community provide a timeless sensibility.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(1) YA Just days after Jane was born, the Civil War became a war between the living and the undead. Now seventeen, Jane is shipped off to a frontier outpost to be a white society lady's Attendant, a chaperone/bodyguard warding off scandal and "shamblers" alike. A refreshingly subversive zombie action story/alternate history featuring a biracial, bisexual heroine--and an unflinching condemnation of institutionalized American racism, then and now.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018