Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Review: Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile

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Victory. Stand!: Raising by Fist for Justice by Anyabwile, Barnes, and Smith

Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice
Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes
Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
Norton Young Readers
Published September 27, 2022

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About Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice

On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships.

In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award–winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.

My Review

I’m trying to remember when I first learned about Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists at the 1968 Olympics. Probably in 2016 when they were invited to the White House to meet President Obama? I’m not totally sure. At any rate, I went into this book knowing only vaguely what had happened and eager to learn more. I heard about this book when the announcement came that it was on the National Book Award Longlist for Young People’s Literature. (That was in the fall of 2022… It has taken me a while to post the review!)

I really like the presentation of the story as a graphic novel. The opening few pages show Tommie Smith getting ready for the famous 1968 Olympic race he would win. As the starting gun goes off, the story jumps to the past, to Tommie’s childhood in Texas where his family work as sharecroppers.

At the close of each chapter of the past, the story snaps back to the race, creating the feel of a series of flashbacks leading up to the moment when Tommie Smith lifted his fist from his place at the top of the winner’s stand. Each snapshot of the past helps illustrate the inequality that still ran rampant through the lives of Black Americans, and why Tommie Smith protested at that critical moment.

The story also follows the country’s response to his protest and how long it took for the nation to recognize the heroism in what he did as well as the personal price he paid in the interim.

Some scenes are heartbreaking. Others were shocking. Each is carefully crafted to tell an incredibly powerful story and an unforgettable period in our history.

Having this story as a graphic novel makes it accessible to a wide variety of readers. It’s an easy book to read in terms of its construction and narrative. The illustrations are strong and emotive, adding so much depth. All in all, I totally get why this novel was longlisted for the National Book Award. It’s fantastic.

Content Notes

Content warning for racial slurs and brief descriptions of racist violence/murder.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters in the story are Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
The N-word appears several times, used as a slur against Tommie and others.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mentions of Tommie’s marriages.

Spiritual Content
Mentions of prayer.

Violent Content
One panel shows a man who has been lynched. Others reference violent response to civil rights protests. Tommie receives death threats after he states that Black athletes could boycott the Olympics because of racist treatment on college campuses and other places.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of VICTORY. STAND!: RAISING MY FIST FOR JUSTICE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

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All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto
George M. Johnson
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Published April 28, 2020

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About All Boys Aren’t Blue

In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson’s emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.

My Review

George M. Johnson’s writing style definitely drew me in. He has this ability to dive into places in the human soul that I think we are often afraid to travel openly. He said things that challenged me but also things that resonated with me so deeply that I still feel their echoes.

The book is divided up into four parts, each part made up of chapters about different topics. He describes family connections and the way that his family consistently pulled together to love one another, acknowledging their imperfections, but recognizing the gift those relationships have been to him.

He also shares some vulnerable experiences in order to talk about how little information he had and how that affected choices he made. Some of the descriptions of these events are graphic. I really liked that he offered the context for his decision to include those stories, though, and his desire to help foster better education for the generation coming after him.

All in all, this is a poignant, brave, and articulate memoir that has a lot to offer its readers in terms of identity, culture, and masculinity.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
George is Black and queer. Some of his family members and friends also identify as LGBTQIA+

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently. The author also uses racist and homophobic slurs at times in the book. He explains his choices in an opening letter to readers.

Romance/Sexual Content
George describes a night when he was 13 and an older cousin molested him.

George also describes sexual experiences he had in college in one chapter.

Spiritual Content
George attended a Catholic high school.

Violent Content
Descriptions of a fight between boys in which two boys held George down while another kicked his front teeth in. Later, he references a cousin who was killed in a fight on the street.

Drug Content
Brief description of kids sneaking liquor from their parents’ cabinet. In college, George drank alcohol and smoked marijuana. He talks about how his smoking habit impacted his college attendance and grades.

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Review: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

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A Song Below Water (A Song Below Water #1)
Bethany C. Morrow
Tor Teen
Published June 2, 2020

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About A Song Below Water

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.

My Review

I kind of feel like the cover copy sells this story a bit short. It’s told from both Effie and Tavia’s perspectives, which I loved. A lot of the story has to do with figuring out some of the things Effie is experiencing, which isn’t mentioned at all in the copy.

The characters in general hooked me into the story. Effie’s relationship with her grandparents. Tavia’s relationship with her dad. The boy at the pool. Tavia’s friends in choir. Effie’s partner at the faire. They all made the story so rich and interesting. Both Effie and Tavia felt like unique characters, too, with different voices, but they also felt deeply connected by their relationship.

A SONG BELOW WATER is one of those books that might start off a little slow, but it’s not long before the tension starts building pretty high. The story stays centered around Tavia and Effie, following them as they learn to use their voices and find confidence in who they are. This book drew me right in, and I desperately needed to know what was going to happen.

I think I bought a copy of this book the year it came out, but it took me a long time to finally get to it. I’m absolutely sure I will read more by Bethany C. Morrow. It looks like the second book in the series, A CHORUS RISES, came out in 2021, and follows one of the side characters from this book. I definitely have to check it out!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Tavia and Effie are Black. Other minor characters are Black or Latinx.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are supernatural. Tavia is a siren. Sprites make mischief, stealing items or causing mayhem. A gargoyle appears to be guarding a siren.

Violent Content
Tavia follows a news story about a woman who was murdered. No details about how the murder happened. Four of Effie’s friends turned to stone while playing in a park when she was ten. Tavia and Effie attend a political protest that turns violent when people begin attacking protestors.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin

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Ain’t Burned All the Bright
Jason Reynolds
Illustrated by Jason Griffin
Atheneum
Published January 11, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Ain’t Burned All the Bright

Prepare yourself for something unlike anything: A smash-up of art and text for teens that viscerally captures what it is to be Black. In America. Right Now. Written by #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds.

Jason Reynolds and his best bud, Jason Griffin had a mind-meld. And they decided to tackle it, in one fell swoop. In about ten sentences, and 300 pages of art, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW.

So, for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is.

My Review

This is another book that totally blew my mind. The story is very simple, but even that is part of its power. The illustrations are so illuminating. I know the story is about oxygen, about breathing, about a flame catching, but that is also what reading this book feels like. It’s that perfect blend of a spark, oxygen, and fuel that creates a burst of flame.

I’ve had this book on my reading list since it came out. I noticed it recently on a Publisher’s Weekly list of best books of 2022, and decided it was time to just read it.

It’s the kind of book that you could read in an hour, less probably, but that you’ll want to take your time with instead. I found that as I read, I wanted to just sit with each illustration and let the words sink in.

I feel like I keep coming back to the fact that at its core, AIN’T BURNED UP THE BRIGHT is a simple story, yet it’s so much more. Maybe that’s what makes it so incredible.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book. I loved it, and I can’t think of anything else like it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
The artwork shows a Black family. The story is from the perspective of a Black boy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to news stories. The words stop short of specifically talking about police violence, but it’s clear that some of the news stories the narrator refers to are those stories. Some of the artwork shows fire.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: Always the Almost by Edward Underhill

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Always the Almost
Edward Underhill
Wednesday Books
Published February 7, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Always the Almost

A trans pianist makes a New Year’s resolution on a frozen Wisconsin night to win regionals and win back his ex, but a new boy complicates things in Edward Underhill’s heartfelt debut YA rom-dram, ALWAYS THE ALMOST.

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Miles Jacobson has two New Year’s resolutions: 1) win back his ex-boyfriend (and star of the football team) Shane McIntyre, and 2) finally beat his slimy arch-nemesis at the Midwest’s biggest classical piano competition. But that’s not going to be so easy. For one thing, Shane broke up with Miles two weeks after Miles came out as trans, and now Shane’s stubbornly ignoring him, even when they literally bump into each other. Plus, Miles’ new, slightly terrifying piano teacher keeps telling him that he’s playing like he “doesn’t know who he is”—whatever that means.

Then Miles meets the new boy in town, Eric Mendez, a proudly queer cartoonist from Seattle who asks his pronouns, cares about art as much as he does—and makes his stomach flutter. Not what he needs to be focusing on right now. But after Eric and Miles pretend to date so they can score an invite to a couples-only Valentine’s party, the ruse turns real with a kiss, which is also definitely not in the plan. If only Miles could figure out why Eric likes him so much. After all, it’s not like he’s cool or confident or comfortable in his own skin. He’s not even good enough at piano to get his fellow competitors to respect him, especially now, as Miles. Nothing’s ever been as easy for him as for other people—other boys. He’s only ever been almost enough.

So why, when he’s with Eric, does it feel like the only person he’s ever really not been enough for…is himself?

My Review

Miles is preparing for a classical piano competition, so he plays the piano in lots of scenes. I really enjoyed the descriptions of his relationship with music and his process of practicing, learning, and growing as a musician. I loved Stefanie, his piano teacher, too.

Though he doesn’t have a lot of confidence in his identity, Miles has a solid friend group who do. Rachel, Paige, and Eric support him as friends and allies. Sometimes they can be a little much– especially Rachel– but it’s clear that their behavior always comes from a place of love.

ALWAYS THE ALMOST doesn’t shy away from the painful parts of personal growth. Miles makes some thoughtless and selfish choices and then has to bear consequences of those mistakes as well as learning how to rebuild relationships in the aftermath. I thought overall those conflicts were handled really well and resolved in ways that were both believable and satisfying.

On the whole, Miles’s journey as a young trans boy in love and his development as a musician were both super strong parts of ALWAYS THE ALMOST. I think readers who enjoyed CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY by Steven Salvatore will want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Miles is a transgender boy. Eric is pansexual and biracial. Rachel and Paige are lesbians.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Kissing between two boys. Miles and his boyfriend take their tops off at one point.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Miles stumbles onto some transphobic comments about him on an online forum. Vague reference to a woman experiencing unwanted sexual advances at work and a man punishing her in her career because she refused him.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of ALWAYS THE ALMOST in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Severed Thread by Leslie Vedder

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The Severed Thread (The Bone Spindle #2)
Leslie Vedder
Razorbill
Published February 7, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Severed Thread

Which threads of fate will hold—and which will break?

Clever, bookish Fi and her brash, ax-wielding partner Shane are back in this action packed sequel to the bestselling THE BONE SPINDLE, the gender-flipped Sleeping Beauty retelling, perfect for fans of SORCERY OF THORNS and THE CRUEL PRINCE.

Fi has awakened the sleeping prince, but the battle for Andar is far from over. The Spindle Witch, the Witch Hunters, and Fi’s own Butterfly Curse all stand between them and happily ever after.

Shane has her partner’s back. But she’s in for the fight of her life against Red, the right hand of the Spindle Witch who she’s also, foolishly, hellbent on saving.

Briar Rose would do anything to restore his kingdom. But there’s a darkness creeping inside him—a sinister bond to the Spindle Witch he can’t escape.

All hopes of restoring Andar rest on deciphering a mysterious book code, finding the hidden city of the last Witches, and uncovering a secret lost for centuries—one that just might hold the key to the Spindle Witch’s defeat. If they can all survive that long…

Set in a world of twisted fairytales, THE SEVERED THREAD combines lost ruins, ride-or-die friendships, and heart-pounding romance.

My Review

Okay, this is easily one of my most-anticipated books coming out this year. I absolutely LOVED the first book in this series, THE BONE SPINDLE, and was counting the days until THE SEVERED THREAD came out.

The first couple chapters were a little rough for me. I don’t know if there were a lot of longer sentences (It felt like that reading it, but I haven’t gone back to look.) or if the writing just took a minute to really find a strong voice and get me back into the characters I know and love.

Once I was a few chapters in, though, I was just as hooked on this story as I was the last one. I didn’t think it was possible to love Shane and Fi even more, but I completely did. Red and Briar Rose both grew on me more, too. I totally missed the Red Hiding Hood references with Red in the first book, but at some point in this one, I was like OHHHH. I see it now. (Can we have a Red backstory novella somewhere in the future??? I’d be completely in for that.)

At any rate. I loved the places this story went. I loved the things we learned about the characters, and I loved the setup for the third book in the series. It is, I believe, a trilogy, so the third book should be the last. So now I’m counting down the days until that one comes out!

If you enjoy fairytale retellings or high fantasy, definitely put this series on your list. I can’t recommend it enough.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Shane and Red, two women, are attracted to one another.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Briar Rose has a magic that’s connected to the Spindle Witch, a powerful witch who cursed his kingdom more than a hundred years ago, and still seems bent on its destruction. Fi has a curse mark on her hand which means that if she stays in one place for more than three days, harm will befall the people and places she loves the most where she is.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle violence. References to torture.

Drug Content
None.

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