Age: High School
Identity: Afro-Boricua (Puerto Rican)
Tough Issues: Teen motherhood

Spoiler

Location: School trip to Spain

First lines: "Babygirl doesn't even cry when I suck my teeth and undo her braid for the fourth time. If anything, I'm the one on the verge of tears, since at this rate we're both going to be late."

Each component of Emoni's life was fascinating and honest, especially the growth throughout her senior year. Emoni's maturity emerges throughout the book as her intellect and natural talent clash with the real-world lessons given to her by a new teacher. The beautifully written love that she has for her 2-year-old daughter and her grandmother may hold her back from typical high school experiences and lifelong goals but Emoni manages to grapple her life's complexities for a satisfying end. And the romance? Slow, affirming, and respectful.

Short chapters, several integrated side characters and sub plots, and dialogue heavy text make this perfect for slow readers, even though the size may be daunting.