By Charlene Allen, Harper Collins, 2024
Author info: Charlene Allen is an activist for social justice, dedicating herself and her stories to restorative justice practices. She earned her MFA from the New School, JD from Northeastern University, and BA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Synopsis: Sixteen-year old Clae lives in a boring coastal town in New England where there’s only one other Black girl, and unfortunately they don’t get along. She’s hoping to make some new friends as she heads off to a prominent summer journalism program in New York City, where two of the Black girls, Nze and Joelle have already reached out to her. But the program and new friends aren’t the only thing Clae’s looking forward to. Clae’s dad left her and her mom when she was just a baby, and her mom refuses to talk about him. After some sleuthing, Clae’s found evidence that someone’s been sending her mom money for Clae her whole life, and it appears there’s a connection to New York City. And her new best friends might be just the people to help her find her fairy god somebody.
What Works: So many things about this story work! Clae, Joelle, and Nze form a beautiful friend trio. While they have their ups and downs, they’re also incredibly loyal and support each other. Even though they all have various goals for themselves this summer, they’re also supportive of everyone else’s. This book has all kinds of love: familial, friendship, and romantic, with each highlighting how that looks within the Black community. With all their sleuthing, the surprise twist at the ending is so unexpected while remaining completely believable.
What Doesn’t Work: Most things work for this novel, however, the ending does feel a bit rushed, with a few loose ends that don’t get completely tied up. Perhaps this is to leave room for a sequel, otherwise it might leave readers wondering.
Pass It or Grab It: Grab it! Even with the future of all three girls a bit uncertain, the story is full of heart and love, and sprinkles in bits of Black history that’s rarely covered in school in a way that doesn’t feel forced
Black Cotton Reviewers 