(S)kin

by Ibi Zoboi

Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; 2025

Ibi Zoboi was born in Haiti and raised in New York. She now lives in New Jersey with her family. She is a New York Times best selling author, a National Book Award finalist, a Coretta Scott King Award winner and is the editor of the anthology, Black Enough.

Fifteen-year-old Marisol is the daughter of a soucouyant—a shape-shifting witch from Caribbean folklore. By day, a soucouyant appears as an elderly woman, but under the full moon she sheds her skin, transforms into a fiery ball, and drains the life from her victims. Seventeen-year-old Genevieve, the daughter of a college professor and the newly introduced older half-sister to infant twins, struggles with a mysterious skin condition that leaves her restless at night, consumed by an unsettling hunger and an urge to wander. When a new nanny arrives to help care for the twins, a long-buried family secret comes to light, revealing a strange connection between Genevieve and Marisol.

What works: Told through alternating perspectives, S(kin) effectively gives voice to both Marisol and Genevieve, allowing readers to engage with their distinct experiences. The novel carefully addresses issues of colorism, identity, and assimilation, infusing these themes in the characters’ personal struggles. By seamlessly integrating Caribbean folklore— the mythology of the soucouyant—into a contemporary setting, the story blends fantasy with realism that is culturally rich and thoughtfully tackling issues that resonate with young adults.

Pass it or Grab it: This novel is for grades 9-12 students and would certainly generate much discussion especially on colorism.