In the key of us

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In the key of us

Title :

In the key of us / Mariama Lockington.

Title:

In the key of us

Author:

Lockington, Mariama

Format:

Books

Physical Description:

348 pages ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

ISBN:

9780374314101

Production / Publication Information:

New York : Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2022.

Summary:

While twelve-year-old Andi has suffered from anxiety attacks ever since her mother died ten months ago, Zora starting hurting herself whenever she feels out of control; they are both at Camp Harmony, an elite summer music camp, trying to deal with their problems and also the stress of competition--but as the summer passes they find themselves increasingly drawn to each other, and maybe not just as friends.

Bibliography note:

Includes bibliographical references.

Target audience note:

Ages 8-12.

Language:

English

Subject Term:

African American girls -- Juvenile fiction.

Anxiety disorders -- Juvenile fiction.

Self-destructive behavior -- Juvenile fiction.

Music camps -- Juvenile fiction.

Identity (Psychology) -- Juvenile fiction.

Bereavement -- Juvenile fiction.

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.

African Americans -- Fiction.

Anxiety disorders -- Fiction.

Self-destructive behavior -- Fiction.

Music camps -- Fiction.

Camps -- Fiction.

Identity -- Fiction.

Grief -- Fiction.

Friendship -- Fiction.

Lesbians -- Fiction.

JUVENILE FICTION / General.

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Material Type	Library	Call Number	Item Barcode	Location
Book	Searching... Amesbury Public Library	J FIC LOCKINGTON	32114002736727	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Burlington Public Library	J LOCKIN	32116003908627	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Chelmsford Public Library	J/FIC/LOCKINGTON	31480011597470	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Dracut - Moses Greeley Parker Memorial Library	J/FIC/LOCKINGTON	31482003104075	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Dunstable Free Public Library	JFIC LOC	32118001078197	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Groton Public Library	YA LOCKINGTON	37003701962780	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Groveland - Langley-Adams Library	J FIC LOCKINGTON	32121000915690	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Hamilton-Wenham Public Library	Y LOC	30470001996890	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Haverhill Public Library	J/FIC/LOCKINGTON	31479007562365	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Lawrence Public Library	J FIC LOC	31549004941406	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Lowell - Pollard Memorial Library	J FIC LOCKINGTON	31481005659045	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Methuen - Nevins Memorial Library	J FIC LOC	31548003488989	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Middleton - Flint Public Library	J LOCKINGTON	32126001851075	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... North Andover - Stevens Memorial Library	J LOC	31478003777647	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Rockport Public Library	J FIC LOCKINGTON	32129002479854	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Rowley Public Library	J FIC LOC	32130001026555	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Tewksbury Public Library	J FICTION LOCKINGTON	32132003377028	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Tyngsborough Public Library	J/LOCKI	32137002197699	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... West Newbury - G.A.R. Memorial Library	YA LOC	32135001569579	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Westford - J.V. Fletcher Library	MG F LOCKINGTON	31990005101311	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Wilmington Memorial Library	KIDS FICTION LOCKINGTON	32136003571886	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Stonewall Book Awards--Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children's & Young Adult Literature Honor Book

From the author of the critically acclaimed novel For Black Girls Like Me and the Schneider Family Book Award Winner Forever Is Now, comes a coming-of-age story surrounding the losses that threaten to break us and the friendships that make us whole again.

Thirteen-year-old Andi feels stranded after the loss of her mother, the artist who swept color onto Andi's blank canvas. When she is accepted to a music camp, Andi finds herself struggling to play her trumpet like she used to before her whole world changed. Meanwhile, Zora, a returning camper, is exhausted trying to please her parents, who are determined to make her a flute prodigy, even though she secretly has a dancer's heart.

At Harmony Music Camp, Zora and Andi are the only two Black girls in a sea of mostly white faces. In kayaks and creaky cabins, the two begin to connect, unraveling their loss, insecurities, and hopes for the future. And as they struggle to figure out who they really are, they may just come to realize who they really need: each other.

Mariama J. Lockington's In the Key of Us is a lyrical ode to music camp, the rush of first love, and the power of one life-changing summer.

Reviews (5)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5--8--With lyricism and emotional honesty, Lockington tells the story of two girls who find hope and healing in each other at Harmony Music Camp. Andi has lost her "soul sound" on the trumpet ever since her mother, a creative and at times erratic force, died in a tragic accident. Now living with her much more pragmatic aunt and uncle, Andi can't help but see a summer away at camp as a convenient method to get her out of the way in preparation for the arrival of their new baby. Zora would much rather be dancing, but her family has mapped a very narrow path for her as a flutist, and she is beginning to break under her mother's constant expectation of perfection. Although confident and sparkly on the outside, Zora experiences intense anxiety that she releases through self-harm. As two of the only Black kids at camp, Andi and Zora are frequently thrown together by students and staff who ignorantly assume that they will automatically connect. But as they open up to each other about their fears, losses, and dreams, they actually begin to develop a real friendship, and maybe more. Andi and Zora share the narration, and each section begins with a beautiful poem written in the voice of the camp itself, which lends a warm, comforting atmosphere to the setting. VERDICT Navigating sensitive topics like body image, mental health, racism, grief, and healthy relationships with a gentle hand, this moving coming-of-age story is perfect for tweens and young teens.--Catherine Cote

Publisher's Weekly Review

Ten months after the death of her artist mother, 13-year-old Andrea "Andi" Byrd, who lives with her mother's pregnant sister, has lost any desire to express herself through her trumpet. But arriving at prestigious, predominantly white Harmony Music Camp, the rising seventh grader feels like an outsider, not used to the rigid schedule or the competition. Outside of friendship with Christopher Flores, who is of Filipino descent and navigating familial experiences of his own, Andi is often grouped with the only other Black camper: 12-year-old Zora Lee Johnson, a flautist who struggles to meet her perfectionist parents' standards. As the two build a true connection--Zora helps Andi improve her playing, while Andi helps Zora embrace her true passion--they start to trust each other with insecurities, secrets, and moments of self-discovery. Alternating the two perspectives with verse interstitials, Lockington (For Black Girls Like Me) weaves an exploration of mental health, self-harm, and microagressions with a love letter to music, the importance of representation, and the work of sticking up for the person one dreams of becoming. Ages 8--12. Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Apr.)

Horn Book Review

Thirteen-year-old Andi Byrd is a talented trumpeter, constantly encouraged by her supportive mother. After her mother dies and she is sent to live with relatives, Andi finds it hard to get back into her artistic groove. Her talent lands her a spot at a prestigious music camp, but the inspiration still isn't there -- until Andi meets Zora. A regular attendee of the camp, Zora has a reputation for excellence -- a reputation she's upheld at the risk of her well-being. As the only two Black girls at the predominantly white camp, Zora and Andi are initially reluctant to be lumped together but soon discover they are just what the other needs. Zora's strict practice regimen reminds Andi to focus on all aspects of the music; in turn, Andi teaches Zora that improv is welcome every now and then. As they grow closer, the girls begin to apply these lessons to other areas of their lives: Zora acknowledging her desire to be a dancer rather than a flutist, and Andi coming to terms with all the memories of her mother, not just the good ones. The novel is told in alternating first-person accounts (separated by free verse written from the viewpoint of the camp itself), and the voices of Andi and Zora are distinct and consistent, providing a comprehensive view of this coming-of-age romance. Themes of self-harm and anxiety are geared toward a middle-school audience; a list of resources appears in the author's note. Eboni Njoku May/June 2022 p.148(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

Following her mother's death, rising eighth grader Andrea "Andi" Byrd is grieving and missing the trust and independence her artist mother afforded her. Living in a new town with her Aunt Janine and Uncle Mark, who are expecting their first child, Andi feels like she's in the way of their growing family and has lost the magic she once felt when playing the trumpet. When her aunt and uncle suggest she attend a prestigious summer music camp--with uniforms, a no-cellphone policy, and mostly White campers--she's sure that going is a mistake. However, soon she finds friendship with Christopher Flores, a quirky Filipino American logophile who is harboring family secrets and trauma of his own. She also meets Zora Johnson, a flutist and the only other Black girl there. Zora seemingly couldn't be more different: Her clothes are sparkly, and she's bubbly and groomed for perfection by her high-achieving parents. But beneath her extroverted veneer, Zora has her own dreams and desires that diverge from her parents' plans. Over time, the girls come to realize how much they have in common. Told in Andi's and Zora's alternating perspectives, the well-paced coming-of-age narrative is sprinkled with contemporary references that bolster its authenticity as it sensitively explores topics such as racism and self-harm and offers a touching portrayal of young queer love. An author's note includes mental health resources for Black women and girls and LGBTQ+ youth. Vivid writing and relatable characters make this a worthwhile read. (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Andi's mother was an artist, and she encouraged Andi's passion for music. For years, it was just Andi and her mother against the world. But everything changed for Andi when her mother died and she was left to go live with her uptight aunt and uncle in a world that wouldn't accept her. Still grappling with grief, Andi decides to go to Harmony Music Camp for the summer. It is here among the majority white faces that she meets Zora, a girl who helps her heal and grow in ways she didn't think was possible. Lockington's novel takes readers on a breathtaking, lyrical journey of the complexities of Black girlhood in a story about music, family, and recovery from loss. She weaves a tale that is both brutally honest and endearing, exposing the sincere flaws of her main characters in such a way that makes readers weep for each misstep and rejoice with each measure of success. A strong choice for collections where character-driven coming-of-age stories are popular.