*I was lucky to receive an ARC of this middle-grade novel. The novel came to me via Nancy Paulsen Books, which is an imprint of Penguin Random House Publishers. I also love the stories she sends me and have enjoyed other stories by Brenda Woods.
What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*The reader is taken back to 1965 to LA when the Watts Riots are about to erupt.
*Eden lives in the LA area, and her cousin Winter comes from Mississippi to spend some time with her family.
*Upon Winter's arrival he shares with Eden that he is not just visiting, but has another purpose.
*He wants to find his father who disappeared ten years earlier from the Watts area.
*Eden and Winter begin a "quest" to find out what really happened to Winter's father.
What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*Brenda Woods has a way transporting her reader to another time and place and making them feel like they are in the center.
*I'm not proud to say this, but I knew very little about the Watts Riots and was amazed how similar this event back in 1965 relates to events happening in our world now.
*Eden and Winter were amazing characters and I enjoyed reading about them.
*The themes of family, determination, and relationships came through each and every page.
*This is an important story to show how much, and how little, progress we have made when it comes to racial inequities.
Who Should Read It:
*This historical fiction novel would be perfect for any and all fifth and sixth grade classrooms. I could see the story being used as a class read aloud with some important and meaningful conversations. If you have read other Brenda Woods books, you definitely want to put this new title on your TBR list. Happy Reading!
Rating: 4 STARS out of 5 Stars
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