RIKKI & RAI

Older sister Rikki, who’s “almost double digits,” is often tasked with keeping an eye on her rambunctious younger sister, Rai, a freshly minted 8-year-old. Rai suffers from asthma and frequently misses school, but Rikki has had perfect attendance since kindergarten. While the girls frequently bicker over chores and pocket money, they always stand up for each other when it matters the most. Together, they learn to navigate life and unexpected challenges, including racism (a white store clerk accuses the girls of shoplifting and manhandles them before their father shows up and punches him in the face), a dangerous traffic accident (Rai rides her bike into the path of an oncoming car), and an attempted kidnapping (Rai is saved by a woman with a Taser). The girls’ alternating narrations convey Rikki’s more analytical perspective and Rai’s more whimsical one. The work moves quickly, exploring themes of chronic illness, loneliness, changing family structures, and more, all handled gracefully with writing that has a conversational tone and incorporates explanations that are easy for children to comprehend. As time passes, the girls grow and change through their life experiences. Final art not seen.