THIS BOOK MIGHT BE ABOUT ZINNIA

Two teen girls seek answers about family.

In 2024, Zinnia Davis, an adopted, biracial, Type A 18-year-old, is applying to Harvard, but she faces a harsh dose of reality after being informed that her college essay feels “calculated” and “formulaic.” After her best friend, Milo, gives her a book featuring a character with an eerily similar backstory to hers—and the exact same heart-shaped birthmark on her forehead—Zinnia decides the author must be her biological mother, and she decides to write her essay about her attempt to prove this. In 2006, Tuesday Walker, a Black 16-year-old, is left reeling after surrendering her newborn daughter for adoption. She was pressured by her mother, who’s determined to keep this baby a family secret; she doesn’t want Tuesday to let the baby’s white father know she exists. Tuesday doesn’t even know her own father’s name, but after one too many ominous and mysterious occurrences, Tuesday finds herself on a quest to uncover her hidden paternal lineage and protect the daughter she was forced to give up. Told from alternating perspectives, this dual narrative follows two young women who are both seeking the truth about their lives. Seamlessly shifting between perspectives, the story remains cohesive and sustains a quick pace. Morris insightfully explores themes of anxiety and the relentless need for perfection as both characters wrestle with their emotions and perceived shortcomings.

A compelling, introspective journey into identity and the power of familial love.