A coming-of-age tale that is as full of sass as its uniquely named protagonist. At 11, Violet is caught betwixt and between childhood and adolescence. She remains very much a child, reveling in hollowed-out tree trunks and playing Barbies with her best friend’s little sister. However, just like the ominous atmospheric changes occurring prior to turbulent weather, Violet’s growing awareness of a developmental shift among her peers leaves her unsettled and unsure. Caught in this transformation is Violet’s relationship with Lottie, which is complicated by the upheaval caused by newcomer Melissa, who has one foot firmly planted in adolescence. Rumblings of romantic changes in her friendship with Eddie also add to Violet’s confusion. Haworth deftly explores Violet’s ambivalence toward growing up with an authenticity that will resonate with readers, who will appreciate her competent management of such crucial tween issues as best friends, fidelity and impending maturity. Violet is a worthy ally for readers navigating their own stormy evolution. (Fiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9791-9
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2008
A road trip to remember.
Using the Negro Travelers’ Green Book and her hidden past as a road map, a grandma takes her grandson on a cross country journey.
When G’ma pulls up to William “Scoob” Lamar’s house in a brand-new Winnebago and invites him on an adventure, Scoob leaves a note for his dad and jumps in. Despite not knowing where they are going, or why G’ma has traded in her Mini Cooper and house for the RV, Scoob is a willing wingman because he wants to save spring break and escape his strict single dad for a few days. Readers will appreciate the bond between Scoob and G’ma; Stone balances fun with emotion for a compelling read. After they cross from Georgia to Alabama and G’ma keeps avoiding Dad’s calls, Scoob begins to get suspicious. When G’ma lets him see the contents of her once off-limits treasure box, which includes a 1963 edition of the Travelers’ Green Book, Scoob understands this trip means much more than even he imagined. The complex role race plays in their family and on this trip—Scoob is mixed-race and presents black, and G’ma is white—is explored in a meaningful way that provides details about a period in time as well as present-day realities. Rich in history, Stone’s middle-grade debut entertains and informs young readers. The subdued ending may frustrate, but the journey, punctuated by Anyabwile’s grayscale cartoons, is well worth it.
A road trip to remember. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9297-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
Readers will be rooting for Bryan to make the right choices even as they understand the wrong ones.
A loner navigates a dangerous relationship.
Bryan is a quiet, Afro–Puerto Rican sixth-grader living in Brooklyn. He enjoys comic books, video games, and keeping to himself. Pa, recently released from prison, and Bryan’s sister, Ava, encourage him to be tough. Ava mocks him for being a “momma’s boy,” and Pa tells him it’s better to be feared than liked. Ma, however, encourages Bryan to use his brains instead of his fists. Ma introduces Bryan to Mike, a slightly older black boy who uses the services at the community center where Ma works; she says he “seems nice” and “gets good grades,” and Bryan needs a friend. Soon Mike and Bryan become so close that they say they’re brothers—but Mike isn’t as good as Ma and others think. Bryan gets swept up in Mike’s influence and begins to behave badly in small ways, throwing rocks at cars from rooftops and practicing his mother’s handwriting so he can forge excuses from school. After Pa violates his parole and is arrested again, Bryan’s behavior escalates, including cutting class and hopping onto moving trains. Through Bryan’s believable, emotionally honest first-person narration, Maldonado skillfully shows a boy trying to navigate parental desires and the societal expectations of his Brooklyn neighborhood while trying to figure himself out.
Readers will be rooting for Bryan to make the right choices even as they understand the wrong ones. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-4055-9
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
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