Language: G (1 swear, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG (Fight between characters resulting in an accidental death)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULT - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
16yo Calvin, a black teenager, passes as white in 1955. His family moves to an all-white suburb for a safer life, but maintaining their secret is exhausting. Calvin seeks solace with new friends and Lily, his crush, while uncovering the town's dark racist history. Torn between safety and truth, Calvin faces dangerous choices about identity and morality. The novel powerfully connects historical realities to personal struggles with race and belonging.
This was an extremely powerful book which had me very tense and emotional throughout - at first because of Calvin trying to "pass" and later when the boys were on their "mission".
I really appreciated the historical references such as Emmitt Till and Martin Luther King Jr. which grounded the story in its time period and highlighted the relevance. I also appreciated the author's ability to educate readers, especially white readers, on the Black experience in America. I highly recommend this book to all readers of any color, race, young and old.
Robert is Calvin's brother and he is black. Eugene and Harry are brothers who are black. Ben, Mary, Alex and Darin are white.
Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian
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