WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

Four best friends fight the turbulence of a pandemic together.

African American Shayla, Indonesian American Ai, (implied) Latinx Ben, and White Liam live in the same New York City apartment building, go to the same school, and were once an inseparable friend group. Their parents call them the quartet, but lately they seem like four soloists. Shayla has tried to befriend two other girls in her class, leaving Ai in the dust. Liam’s panic attacks result in his friends’ not always including him in their activities. These changes threaten their bonds, but soon Covid-19 overshadows their interpersonal dramas. As each child adapts to attending virtual classrooms, problems at home and in the world start to weigh them down. Frustrated by their situation, Ai decides to start a helpers club and invites Liam to join her in running errands and doing chores for their neighbors in the building. Soon Ben and Shayla follow, and their friendships begin to heal. Through their difficult personal challenges, the pandemic, and disturbing news about police brutality (which leads to poignant conversations between Shayla and her father), the quartet soldiers on, learning and supporting each other along the way. Ibura’s novel highlights many of the challenges children have faced during the pandemic while showing how, even in the midst of uncertainty and injustice, anyone can take a step in the right direction.

A heartwarming call to action.