| 9780316448567 |
| 0316448567 |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... East Library | Teen Book | COLB | Teen Fiction | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
From Stonewall Award winner Brandy Colbert comes a novel about first love, family, and hidden secrets that will stay with you long after turning the last page.
Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past... whom she knows her parents will never approve of.
When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded -- she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.
Author Notes
Brandy Colbert is the critically acclaimed author of the novels Pointe , Finding Yvonne , and Stonewall Award winner Little & Lion . Born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, she now lives and writes in Los Angeles.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Sixteen-year-old Dove "Birdie" Randolph faces challenges during the summer before her junior year of high school. She is expected to spend the summer taking SAT prep classes and helping at her mom's beauty salon, but what she really wants to do is spend time with Booker. Unfortunately, because Booker has been in trouble with the law, Birdie knows her strict parents won't approve of the relationship, so she sees him behind their backs. In the meantime, her aunt Carlene comes to live with the Randolph family after completing rehab. The troubled relationship between Carlene and Birdie's mother adds a layer of complexity to Birdie's summer plans; Carlene also provides Birdie with an ally to figure out how to convince her parents that Booker has dealt with his legal issues and is on the right path. In the midst of all this, a long-kept family secret surfaces and Birdie has to redefine the way she sees her family. This is a lovely portrait of a close-knit urban African American family that offers insight into the push from within for black excellence. In addition, it portrays a family struggling with addiction and helps illustrate what recovery can look like. Also, big cheers for a darker-skinned African American teen on the cover. VERDICT A great addition to teen collections everywhere. Give to readers hungry for The Hate U Give read-alikes.--Kristin Lee Anderson, Jackson County Library Services, OR
Publisher's Weekly Review
Stonewall Award-winner Colbert (Little & Lion) does not disappoint with this coming-of-age story of a young black woman from Chicago. Dove "Birdie" Randolph, 16, is a model teen, until her mother's sister, who has been in and out of rehab, arrives for a stay. Struggling with a need for autonomy and frustrated with her controlling mother, Birdie samples her first alcoholic beverage and hides the existence of her new boyfriend, sweet ex-juvie inmate Booker, for whom she's fallen fast. Birdie forges a close relationship with her aunt while concealing her behavior from her mom, but when Birdie's decisions catch up to her, revealing a hidden truth about her parents, Birdie's world and newfound agency crumble. Despite occasionally predictable plotting, Colbert creates a unique cast of well-developed characters navigating responsibility, grief, racial profiling, and addiction. Providing a great deal of entertainment as Birdie's inexperience lands her in awkward situations, this thrilling tale of first love explores what it means to be held to an impossible standard and still learn to live an authentic life. Ages 12-up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM Partners. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Colbert (Finding Yvonne, 2018) delivers another poignant coming-of-age tale in her newest novel, which will resonate with teens struggling to balance their own desires with parental expectations. Birdie is successful at being the perfect daughter, making honor roll and staying out of trouble, until Booker blows into her life. She keeps their whirlwind romance a secret because she knows her strict parents would never accept her dating him. When Birdie's aunt, who struggles with addiction, returns to town, Birdie's life is further complicated. As Birdie grows closer to Booker and her aunt, she has to make decisions about the type of person she wants to be, who she wants to live for, and whose happiness is important. In the midst of this, a huge family secret is exposed that rocks the foundation of Birdie's life. Colbert's latest novel brilliantly delves into first loves, forbidden romance, rebellion, and family expectations all of which teens will strongly relate to. Heavier topics like addiction, trauma, and the ills of juvenile justice system for teens of color are also explored in a refreshingly nuanced way that is handled with intelligence and care. With these topics, Colbert shows that there are two sides to every story and that the people enmeshed in these situations are often victims who need support rather than recrimination. Empowering and empathetic.--Enishia Davenport Copyright 2019 Booklist
