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A review by bookishvanessa
For Black Girls Like Me by Mariama J. Lockington
5.0
Stunning. Powerful. Endearing. Heartbreaking. Realistic.
These are five words I would use to describe this book.
Makeda is an 11-year-old Black girl who was adopted by a white family when she was an infant. When her family moves away from her old school and her best friend (another Black adoptee her age), Makeda is thrust into a new school with kids who primarily see her as "other" and "different" due to her skin color. Though I cannot relate to the pain Makeda went through, I felt for her.
This book is told through a variety of formats: prose, free verse, songs, letters, and blog posts. Lockington's writing is gorgeous, and the imagery is rich and descriptive. The book moves really quickly and is a great look into racism and its effect. This book is geared toward middle schoolers, but should be read and savored by everyone, in my opinion. I happened to see this at work while cleaning library shelves the other week and am so glad I stumbled upon it. I can't believe I hadn't heard of this book, and it deserves so much more attention than it appears to have gotten.
These are five words I would use to describe this book.
Makeda is an 11-year-old Black girl who was adopted by a white family when she was an infant. When her family moves away from her old school and her best friend (another Black adoptee her age), Makeda is thrust into a new school with kids who primarily see her as "other" and "different" due to her skin color. Though I cannot relate to the pain Makeda went through, I felt for her.
This book is told through a variety of formats: prose, free verse, songs, letters, and blog posts. Lockington's writing is gorgeous, and the imagery is rich and descriptive. The book moves really quickly and is a great look into racism and its effect. This book is geared toward middle schoolers, but should be read and savored by everyone, in my opinion. I happened to see this at work while cleaning library shelves the other week and am so glad I stumbled upon it. I can't believe I hadn't heard of this book, and it deserves so much more attention than it appears to have gotten.