MALCOLM AND ME

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.