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9781481465847

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"""Be like water,"" Isaiah says. ""Always,"" Darius replies. These are the final words the boys say to each other before Darius takes off on his bicycle to break the Guinness world record for a wheelie. Isaiah is in charge of watching for cars, but a chaotic, unexpected confrontation ends with a tragic fatal accident. Williams (Genesis Begins Again, rev. 1/19) handles the sensitive topics of death, grief, racism, violence, and racial and gender expression with care, making sure the narrative doesn't become overly dark and heavy. The novel's focus on Isaiah's inner world allows readers to witness the evolution of a thirteen-year-old Black boy dealing with life-altering events, navigating challenging relationships with friends and family and, finally, feeling comfortable enough to reveal his full self in the process. --HornBook, STARRED REVIEW ""May/June Issue"" Black boy joy, hurt, anxiety, and perseverance relayed with charm. --Kirkus Reviews ""2/15/24"" In lovely verse, Williams tells a powerful story of a young teenager struggling in the wake of a friend's death. Isaiah's fear is palpable and very relatable to those with a habit of freezing in stressful situations. Observing him overcome his fears, both of risky stunts and of showing people his true self, is incredibly empowering. This novel also skillfully deals with issues of absent fathers, friendship changes, and prejudice. Interspersed are Novgorodoff's beautiful watercolor illustrations that perfectly complement the story. All characters read as Black. VERDICT A quietly stunning novel in verse about grief and learning to accept yourself. Recommended for all middle grade collections.--School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW ""3/1/24"" Williams' book, written in verse and adorned with vivid illustrations, portrays an accurate depiction of Black boyhood. This compelling novel, full of vulnerability and hope, is a must-read. --Booklist, STARRED Review ""2/15/24"" Pastoral features such as expressive b&w illustrations by Novgorodoff (Long Way Down) and clear, accessible verse by Williams (Genesis Begins Again) skillfully juxtapose larger, heavier examinations of grief, identity, mental health, and racism, making for a heartfelt novel about an unmoored child seeking strength and self-forgiveness. --Publishers Weekly ""1/22/24"""

Author Information

Alicia D. Williams is the author of Mid-Air, which was longlisted for the National Book Award; Genesis Begins Again, which received Newbery and Kirkus Prize honors, was a William C. Morris Award finalist, and for which she won the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent; and picture books Jump at the Sun, Nani and the Lion, and The Talk, which was also a Coretta Scott King Honor book. An oral storyteller in the African American tradition, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Danica Novgorodoff is an artist, writer, graphic designer, and horse wrangler who lives in Kentucky. Her books include Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down graphic novel. She was awarded a 2015 New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in literature and was named Sarabande Books’s 2016 writer-in-residence. She has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, Blue Mountain Center, VCCA, Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts, and Willapa Bay AiR. Visit her online at DanicaNovgorodoff.com.

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