Trauma abounds in this earnest verse novel that ultimately—perhaps boldly—offers minimal consolation.
Tragedy turns a top basketball prospect toward a life of hard, hurt-filled choices—but it’s never too late to become more than our pain.
When her loving ex-con father is assassinated, Aaliyah Davis’ already tumultuous life in Buffalo, New York, is turned upside down. A star hooper, like her father before her, and an unrepentant tomboy, to the chagrin of her absentee mother, 16-year-old Aaliyah experiences the sort of trauma no one should have to but that is unfortunately all too common. Her story is presented here in raw, poignant verse with first-person adolescent lyricism. With basketball no longer an effective distraction from her growing anger, a budding relationship with a schoolmate who’s suffered similarly from gun violence quickly turns into an opportunity for revenge. Until a stint in juvenile detention that pointedly parallels her father’s incarceration, learning to trust the right people proves to be disastrously difficult for Aaliyah and many of the young people in this complicated story of loss, betrayal, and widespread neglect—but it’s a hard-earned lesson that ultimately sets her free. Accessible for reluctant readers, the attractive design and fluid writing style make this a broadly appealing work. Main characters are Black.
Trauma abounds in this earnest verse novel that ultimately—perhaps boldly—offers minimal consolation. (Verse novel. 12-17)Pub Date: Jan. 11, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-9785-9559-0
Page Count: 200
Publisher: West 44 Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Refreshing and moving: avoids easy answers and saviors from the outside.
From Sudan to Maine, in free verse.
It's 1999 in Juba, and the second Sudanese civil war is in full swing. Viola is a Bari girl, and she lives every day in fear of the government soldiers occupying her town. In brief free-verse chapters, Viola makes Juba real: the dusty soil, the memories of sweetened condensed milk, the afternoons Viola spends braiding her cousin's hair. But there is more to Juba than family and hunger; there are the soldiers, and the danger, and the horrifying interactions with soldiers that Viola doesn't describe but only lets the reader infer. As soon as possible, Viola's mother takes the family to Cairo and then to Portland, Maine—but they won't all make it. First one and then another family member is brought down by the devastating war and famine. After such a journey, the culture shock in Portland is unsurprisingly overwhelming. "Portland to New York: 234 miles, / New York to Cairo: 5,621 miles, / Cairo to Juba: 1,730 miles." Viola tries to become an American girl, with some help from her Sudanese friends, a nice American boy and the requisite excellent teacher. But her mother, like the rest of the Sudanese elders, wants to run her home as if she were back in Juba, and the inevitable conflict is heartbreaking.
Refreshing and moving: avoids easy answers and saviors from the outside. (historical note) (Fiction. 13-15)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7614-6267-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2012
An entertaining mix of endearing characters, strong feelings, and pulse-pounding adventure.
American teen movie star Zander Rune has an image problem, and it’s endangering his career.
Zander’s agent has a plan: Zander will go on a wilderness survival reality show with one lucky fan. Charlie Hart, who’s from a small Australian town, is facing her own struggles over a personal tragedy, her best friend Ember’s leukemia, and uncertainty about her future now she’s finished high school. Ember wins the contest, but her doctor advises her against going on the show. So Charlie—whose crush on Zander ended the day he was charged with a DUI—reluctantly agrees to go in Ember’s place: Her participation will give an infatuated Ember the chance to meet Zander before they embark. As the four-day trek through Australia’s Blue Mountains begins, Charlie’s animosity toward Zander is clear—although she won’t explain why, leaving him resigned to just getting through the challenge. But when the pair is thrust into increasingly dangerous situations, their feelings shift. White-presenting Zander and Charlie skydive, rappel, hike—and deal with lots of emotions. The juxtaposition of the wilderness challenges against the internal turmoil they’re each working through will keep readers engaged. The dual narration allows access to both leads’ perspectives and emotional journeys, supporting deeper storytelling. Readers will enjoy watching the duo learn and yearn as they navigate the mountains, forests, and streams.
An entertaining mix of endearing characters, strong feelings, and pulse-pounding adventure. (content note, author’s note) (Romance. 12-17)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 979887481172
Page Count: 318
Publisher: Blackstone
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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