A celebratory coming-of-age novel with a thoughtful, resilient heroine.
A Black teenager deals with racism at school and problems at home in this 1970s-set YA novel.
Roberta Forest, one of the few Black students at her Catholic school in Philadelphia, is proud of her heritage. But standing up for her point of view lands her in trouble—and on her 13th birthday, no less. When Sister Elizabeth asks how Thomas Jefferson could promote independence while owning slaves, Roberta answers that he was a hypocrite. The nun is furious, raging, “Go back to Africa. We never needed you people in the first place!” When Roberta replies angrily, the nun slaps her three times, and the teenager hits back in self-defense, earning her a suspension from school and punishment at home. The incident kicks off a stressful year. Roberta is barred from entering a writing contest she was determined to win; her father moves out; and her mother is strict and critical. Writing poetry in her diary helps manage some of her feelings, but Roberta also rebels against her school and her mother. Over the course of the year, she learns truths, often surprising ones, about Sister Elizabeth, her family, and herself and develops her inner strength. In her novel, Farmer makes good use of a challenging time in American history. The Watergate scandal follows the upheavals and shocking assassinations of the 1960s, and Black teenagers like Roberta have such models to emulate as Angela Davis and Malcolm X. Roberta’s character is complex; she questions her faith and her family but also grapples with self-doubt and guilt. She must reevaluate her black-and-white (in two senses) ideas of the truth in order to mature. Farmer brings emotional fidelity to Roberta’s struggles, making the girl’s growth feel well earned.
A celebratory coming-of-age novel with a thoughtful, resilient heroine.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68463-083-7
Page Count: 257
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A light and dreamy travel romance.
A Chinese American teen ends up stuck with her nemesis on a whirlwind trip.
Seventeen-year-old Leah Zhang is dreading her cousin’s wedding, feeling self-conscious about her Mandarin abilities and her uncertain future after quitting modeling. At the wedding, she’s dismayed to find she’s seated at the same table as her former bully, Cyrus Sui, the subject of her nightmares ever since the Incident. The stress of his unwelcome presence causes Leah to commit a major linguistic faux pas, prompting her parents to send her on a two-week trip around China, run by the local Chinese school, to reconnect with her roots. Of course, Cyrus turns out to be going too. Leah decides this is her chance for revenge: She’ll use her looks and the charm she’s honed through modeling to make him fall for her, before dumping him unceremoniously—and publicly. But as she gets closer to him, Leah starts to wonder if he may not be the nemesis she made him out to be. And the more time she spends in her parents’ homeland, the closer she gets to finding her true place in the world. Shanghai, Anhui, and other picturesque locations form a vibrant backdrop for the couple’s swoony rom-com antics. Though Leah’s revenge plot feels a bit contrived at times and some of the serious topics (intergenerational issues, Sinophobia, and Asian beauty standards) aren’t explored with much depth, romance fans will enjoy watching the couple find their happy ending.
A light and dreamy travel romance. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9781546110675
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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