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A review by beautifullybookishbethany
Girlcott by Florenz Webbe Maxwell
4.0
I think Girlcott would be extremely accessible to tweens and teens as a path to discussing the history of segregation and the importance on non-violent resistance. Despite the heavy content, the tone of the book is very light and it is a quick, enjoyable read with a strong message. Set in 1959 Bermuda, Girlcott is the story of Desma, a black teen girl planning her 16'th birthday party, complete with a sleepover and trip to the cinema, when an anti-segregation boycott threatens to ruin all her plans. For the first time in her life, Desma begins to understand the realities of segregation and the ways that it affects her family and her community.
Desma is smart, brave, and an eminently relatable teenage heroine. I didn't know anything about the history of segregation in Bermuda and had never heard about this very real cinema boycott, but this was a fascinating introduction. Unlike the United States, Bermudian segregation was de facto and almost invisible to the outside viewer. Yet it affected lives in insidious ways. Girlcott is a celebration of women and of peaceful political resistance. I found it to be both fun and powerful, an apt message for the moment. This would be a great book to put in the hands of young teens, and then watch out to see what they do with it! It is also worth noting that Desma loves math and dreams of becoming an actuary. STEM representation like that is always great to see!
Desma is smart, brave, and an eminently relatable teenage heroine. I didn't know anything about the history of segregation in Bermuda and had never heard about this very real cinema boycott, but this was a fascinating introduction. Unlike the United States, Bermudian segregation was de facto and almost invisible to the outside viewer. Yet it affected lives in insidious ways. Girlcott is a celebration of women and of peaceful political resistance. I found it to be both fun and powerful, an apt message for the moment. This would be a great book to put in the hands of young teens, and then watch out to see what they do with it! It is also worth noting that Desma loves math and dreams of becoming an actuary. STEM representation like that is always great to see!