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popthebutterfly 's review for:
Malcolm and Me
by Robin Farmer
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Malcolm and Me: A Novel
Author: Robin Farmer
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters
Recommended For...: anti-racist reading
Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (race and racism, some discussion about divorce, religion, racist remarks made at the MC)
Publisher: SparkPress
Pages: 229
Synopsis: Philly native Roberta Forest is a precocious rebel with the soul of a poet. The thirteen-year-old is young, gifted, black, and Catholic—although she’s uncertain about the Catholic part after she calls Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite for enslaving people and her nun responds with a racist insult. Their ensuing fight makes Roberta question God and the important adults in her life, all of whom seem to see truth as gray when Roberta believes it’s black or white.
An upcoming essay contest, writing poetry, and reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X all help Roberta cope with the various difficulties she’s experiencing in her life, including her parent’s troubled marriage. But when she’s told she’s ineligible to compete in the school’s essay contest, her explosive reaction to the news leads to a confrontation with her mother, who shares some family truths Roberta isn’t ready for.
Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Angel Dressed in Black is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The book did well with the story and it was compelling and gripping from page one. The book talks about the 70s where we saw a lot of human rights change, but we can draw parallels between that time period and now. The book raised a lot of important questions and topics dealing with race and racism, and I definitely recommend it especially for younger teens and middle graders!
The only things I didn’t like are that the writing was clearly middle grade, but it kinda marketed to be young adult. I think the writing could have been matured a bit, but I do like that the book is MG because every age group needs to learn about racism and how to be anti-racist.
Verdict: Highly recommend.
Book: Malcolm and Me: A Novel
Author: Robin Farmer
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters
Recommended For...: anti-racist reading
Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (race and racism, some discussion about divorce, religion, racist remarks made at the MC)
Publisher: SparkPress
Pages: 229
Synopsis: Philly native Roberta Forest is a precocious rebel with the soul of a poet. The thirteen-year-old is young, gifted, black, and Catholic—although she’s uncertain about the Catholic part after she calls Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite for enslaving people and her nun responds with a racist insult. Their ensuing fight makes Roberta question God and the important adults in her life, all of whom seem to see truth as gray when Roberta believes it’s black or white.
An upcoming essay contest, writing poetry, and reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X all help Roberta cope with the various difficulties she’s experiencing in her life, including her parent’s troubled marriage. But when she’s told she’s ineligible to compete in the school’s essay contest, her explosive reaction to the news leads to a confrontation with her mother, who shares some family truths Roberta isn’t ready for.
Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Angel Dressed in Black is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The book did well with the story and it was compelling and gripping from page one. The book talks about the 70s where we saw a lot of human rights change, but we can draw parallels between that time period and now. The book raised a lot of important questions and topics dealing with race and racism, and I definitely recommend it especially for younger teens and middle graders!
The only things I didn’t like are that the writing was clearly middle grade, but it kinda marketed to be young adult. I think the writing could have been matured a bit, but I do like that the book is MG because every age group needs to learn about racism and how to be anti-racist.
Verdict: Highly recommend.