Clap When You Land. Elizabeth Acevedo. 2020. Quill Tree Books. 432 pages. [Source: Public library.] As the daughter of an immigrant and a man whose image in my mind is nothing like what society holds … this book touched me on so many levels. Acevedo amazingly highlights a family and its complexities. She pays homage to a tragedy I’ve never heard of (flight 587 ), expresses understanding, respect and honor to a religion that showcases the strength of our ancestors. She shows the masses and unfamiliar that not everyone is dying to get to this country. Through Camino, she reminds that there is not always the assumed hatred for one’s native country, but a desire for a better opportunity. The love, respect and allegiance for their home remains … and along with their opportunity, they inherit a debt to those left behind. The one that “left” shoulders the burden of providing more opportunities for those that remain. The characters perfectly reflect the emotions each side feels … the difference in perspective. Add in the secrets held within a family, and like this book you have a pot boiling over with history, hidden agendas, lack of understanding and moments that will…

Malcolm and Me. Robin Farmer. 2020. SparkPress. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of Netgalley.] Amazingly executed … Robin Farmer captures that pivotal moment when life and your thought process changes. As a former Catholic school girl and Black woman, I distinctly remember those moments that reminded me I was the minority in the classes. Roberta was unapologetic and insightful but young. And that’s a struggle for many young Black girls — knowing that you must stand for yourself and simultaneously understand that not every moment requires the effort. The Forest family was in turmoil, and I love the subtle content on some many topics that are frequent in the black family – the differences in how mothers (black mothers particularly) treat there sons vs. their daughters,  family being accomplices to infidelity, and even colorism. Mrs. Farmer deserves the five stars I’m giving this book and I’m appreciative of her transparency as it relates to her personal experiences reflected in the book. I’d be interested to see her future works.

The Crossover. Kwame Alexander. 2014. HMH Books. 240 pages. [Source: Public library.] In my younger days, I might not have willingly picked up a book that centered a teen boy, let alone one that also centered basketball. If The Crossover were a book I chose to pass on, I would have done myself a true disservice. I enjoyed this book; so much so that I read the original 2014 release as well as the graphic novel published in 2019. While told from the perspective of Josh “Filthy McNasty” Bell, The Crossover is actually about him and his twin, Jordan “JB” Bell.  They’re just shy of thirteen, and the book sees a shift in their relationship as their individual priorities change.  The two are stars of their school basketball team, their father a former international basketball champion whose own career was cut short and their mother an assistant principal at their school. Although almost identical except for their hair, their paths are diverging in the face of academics, dating, and everything else that comes with being on the cusp of their teenage years. What immediately jumped out to me is that Alexander writes entirely in verse.  The arrangement isn’t just linear on…

Let Me Hear a Rhyme. Tiffany D. Jackson. 2019. Katherine Tegan Books. 384 pages. [Source: Public Library.] If there was ever a book written that speaks directly to the soul of 14-year-old me, it is Let Me Hear a Rhyme.  On its surface, it’s a touching story of a group of friends refusing to let their friend become another anonymous victim of street violence. But it really feels like a long-overdue homage to the New York hip-hop scene at one of its most pivotal periods. The story takes place on the heels of the Notorious BIG’s murder, and opens with the funeral of Steph, a 16-year-old aspiring rapper.  With that major spoiler out of the way, the book turns to his sister Jasmine and his two best friends, Jarrell and Quadir, as they reckon with his loss and attempt to secure his legacy as one of the best to put on for Brooklyn. During their quest, they discover that each of them knew less about Steph’s life than they could have imagined.  Let Me Hear a Rhyme doesn’t leave out any of the memorable people, places, and sounds of the New York hip-hop scene in the late ‘90s. Anyone who…

Monday’s Not Coming. Tiffany D. Jackson. 2018. Katherine Tegen Books. 432 pages. [Source: public library.] Friendships during your teen years can often feel like a lifeline when you’re navigating home, school, hormones, and the rest that comes with transitioning from a kid to a young adult. That is absolutely the reality for Claudia and Monday, best friends who are on the brink of 8th grade. Although their home lives are markedly different, the two are kindred spirits facing life together. That changes when Claudia returns to Washington, D.C. from her annual summer vacation to Georgia. Despite promises, Monday hasn’t written a single letter and doesn’t show up for school for months. No one notices, no one looks, and no one cares about Monday’s disappearance except Claudia. Early in the book, Claudia asks: “How can a whole person, a kid, disappear and no one say a word?” This is central to the plot of the book, which follows Claudia in her pursuit of the truth about where Monday’s been. With Monday’s Not Coming, Jackson has given a voice to stories that often go unheard. Missing black girls and women do not get the same media coverage as other demographics, though their…