MID AIR

Tragedy strikes a trio of friends, but as the remaining duo grieve and grow apart, high school looms.

Darius and Isaiah first became friends as the only Black kids at robotics camp, but with new student Drew added to the mix, the three skater kids from Michigan use their humor, friendly wagers, and Guinness World Records ambitions to overcome almost anything—from bullies to missing dads. But the sudden death of Darius, who was hit by a car while being harassed by a stranger, isn’t something Drew and Isaiah can easily overcome. Isaiah, a secret plant lover and not-so-secretly sensitive 13-year-old, narrates the feelings of loss and anxiety that overwhelm the last months of middle school and cause a rift between him and Drew, since both boys are grappling with big feelings of guilt, blame, and regret over Darius’ death. Each free-verse poem is presented with the emotive rhythm and pacing of a kid who’s just as afraid of what his peers think as he is of not being seen as man enough in his dad’s eyes. Isaiah is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in North Carolina for the summer for a bit of a fresh start, which proves to be a necessary diversion that yields new friends, new perspectives—and first kisses!—for the boy who hid so much of himself from a world that made him believe he had to. Occasional pen-and-ink–style art complements the text.

Black boy joy, hurt, anxiety, and perseverance relayed with charm.