★ 04/11/2022
After spending seven weeks in Upstate New York, attending a summer leadership program at prestigious boarding school Ainsley International, rising eighth grader Caprice is invited to continue her education there on a full scholarship, an opportunity her family wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. But arriving back at the Newark, N.J., community center where she usually spends summers, she contemplates staying with her parents and close hometown friends, including bestie Nicole, who has become interested in makeup and boys. When the family receives news that Caprice’s maternal grandmother’s health is failing in Baltimore, they face a long-standing rift (“Grandma’s on one side with all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. And Mom’s on the other side with just me and Dad”) and wounds around trauma that Caprice experienced as a younger child. Alternating Caprice’s first-person narration with lines of her poetry (“Sometimes it’s only your body that remembers/ all the details nobody else knows”), Booth (Kinda Like Brothers) offers a thoughtful framework for exploring sexual abuse and generational family secrets. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (May.)
Praise for Coe Booth's Tyrell:
A 2007 LA Times Book Prize Winner for Young Adult Fiction
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
"A gritty and gripping first novel." — The New York Times Book Review
* "Heartbreakingly realistic... Unlike many books reflecting the contemporary street scene, this one is more than just a pat situation with a glib resolution; it's filled with surprising twists and turns that continue to the end." — Booklist, starred review
"The definitive tale of the modern African American urban youth." — Voice of Youth Advocates
"The author so convincingly grounds her story in Tyrell's tough-talking but vulnerable voice that we are won over to his side." — Horn Book, starred review
"Booth combines the rhythm of raw street lingo with the harsh realities of an inner-city urban life to illuminate the labyrinth of Tyrell's world... This is a thrilling, fast-paced novel whose strong plot and array of vivid, well-developed characters take readers on an unforgettable journey through the gritty streets of New York City's South Bronx." — School Library Journal, starred review
Praise for Kendra:
* "Booth has a talent for emotional honesty... feelings of abandonment and betrayal radiate from the page... Booth delivers dynamic characters and an engaging story." School Library Journal, starred review
06/01/2022
Gr 5 Up—Soon-to-be eighth grader Caprice has just finished up a summer leadership program at a boarding school and is faced with a choice: take a spot in the yearlong program at that school, or spend her eighth grade year in Newark with her best friend Nicole. However, when her grandmother falls ill, Caprice, who is Black, must go back to Baltimore and face a deep secret she's suppressed. When she was young, Caprice's uncle abused her in her grandmother's home. In this tale of pain and reclaiming the power of one's story, Caprice has to find her voice to face not only her past, but her future as well. Booth's novel uses a mix of verse poetry, flashbacks, and time-stamped present-day narrative. The chapters are short and maintain the book's quick pace. Told with unflinching honesty and an accessible way for the intended audience, Caprice's story can be hard to read at times but offers hope to survivors of abuse while educating readers about what survivors experience. Also included are resources for national organizations dedicated to supporting children like Caprice. VERDICT A worthy purchase for collections with a need for survivor stories for middle graders.—Molly Dettmann
★ 2022-03-02
A 12-year-old girl navigates the effects of past abuse and finds the power to share her truths.
Fresh off a seven-week leadership program at Ainsley International School, an elite boarding school, Caprice is eager to see her friends and family back in Newark at the end of an amazing summer. Before she leaves, the head of school offers her a full scholarship, giving her a week to decide whether she wants to return. Once home, Caprice is keen to see her best friend, Nicole, and enjoy what could be her last week of summer at their neighborhood recreation center despite the shadow cast by news of her estranged grandmother’s failing health. Through her first-person narration, readers come to understand that Caprice is harboring painful feelings tied to incidents of abuse from when she was younger that now influence her interactions with boys, even the one she is developing feelings toward. As the week moves on, an increasingly anxious Caprice must confront her past so that she can have a better future. The raw, poignant text highlights the frequency of misogynistic microaggressions and objectification, while the swift yet emotionally charged ending supports the larger message of consent and the hope of overcoming the lasting trauma of sexual assault. The book’s haunting tone will linger with readers. Caprice and most main characters are Black.
A heart-aching journey that needs to be witnessed. (Fiction. 10-14)
