A celebratory coming-of-age novel with a thoughtful, resilient heroine.
A Black teenager deals with racism at school and problems at home in this 1970s-set YA novel.
Roberta Forest, one of the few Black students at her Catholic school in Philadelphia, is proud of her heritage. But standing up for her point of view lands her in trouble—and on her 13th birthday, no less. When Sister Elizabeth asks how Thomas Jefferson could promote independence while owning slaves, Roberta answers that he was a hypocrite. The nun is furious, raging, “Go back to Africa. We never needed you people in the first place!” When Roberta replies angrily, the nun slaps her three times, and the teenager hits back in self-defense, earning her a suspension from school and punishment at home. The incident kicks off a stressful year. Roberta is barred from entering a writing contest she was determined to win; her father moves out; and her mother is strict and critical. Writing poetry in her diary helps manage some of her feelings, but Roberta also rebels against her school and her mother. Over the course of the year, she learns truths, often surprising ones, about Sister Elizabeth, her family, and herself and develops her inner strength. In her novel, Farmer makes good use of a challenging time in American history. The Watergate scandal follows the upheavals and shocking assassinations of the 1960s, and Black teenagers like Roberta have such models to emulate as Angela Davis and Malcolm X. Roberta’s character is complex; she questions her faith and her family but also grapples with self-doubt and guilt. She must reevaluate her black-and-white (in two senses) ideas of the truth in order to mature. Farmer brings emotional fidelity to Roberta’s struggles, making the girl’s growth feel well earned.
A celebratory coming-of-age novel with a thoughtful, resilient heroine.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68463-083-7
Page Count: 257
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
