ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
OLDER FICTION
Lockington, Mariama J.

In the Key of Us

368 pp. | Farrar | April, 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-374-31410-1 $16.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-374-31412-5 $9.99
(2) YA Thirteen-year-old Andi Byrd is a talented trumpeter, constantly encouraged by her supportive mother. After her mother dies and she is sent to live with relatives, Andi finds it hard to get back into her artistic groove. Her talent lands her a spot at a prestigious music camp, but the inspiration still isn't there--until Andi meets Zora. A regular attendee of the camp, Zora has a reputation for excellence--a reputation she's upheld at the risk of her well-being. As the only two Black girls at the predominantly white camp, Zora and Andi are initially reluctant to be lumped together but soon discover they are just what the other needs. Zora's strict practice regimen reminds Andi to focus on all aspects of the music; in turn, Andi teaches Zora that improv is welcome every now and then. As they grow closer, the girls begin to apply these lessons to other areas of their lives: Zora acknowledging her desire to be a dancer rather than a flutist, and Andi coming to terms with all the memories of her mother, not just the good ones. The novel is told in alternating first-person accounts (separated by free verse written from the viewpoint of the camp itself), and the voices of Andi and Zora are distinct and consistent, providing a comprehensive view of this coming-of-age romance. Themes of self-harm and anxiety are geared toward a middle-school audience; a list of resources appears in the author's note.
Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

RELATED 

OLDER FICTION

What Beauty There Is
by Anderson, Cory
OLDER FICTION

Between Perfect and Real
by Stoeve, Ray
OLDER FICTION

Zoe Rosenthal Is Not Lawful Good
by Werlin, Nancy
OLDER FICTION

Home Is Not a Country
by Elhillo, Safia
OLDER FICTION

All Our Hidden Gifts
by O'Donoghue, Caroline
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?