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bookishrealm 's review for:
Sincerely Sicily
by Tamika Burgess
Listen! My 2023 reads are coming for my 2022 reads ALREADY! I don't want to jinx myself but I've had some great reads this year and we're barely done with the first week. I was so excited to pick up Sincerely Sicily when I originally heard about it and it did not disappoint! 4.5 Stars
Sincerely Sicily follows main character Sicily who is about to attend a new middle school. She's nervous that she won't make any friends because all of her close friends are attending a different school. However, things seem to be okay until Sicily gives her presentation on being Panamanian. Her classmates begin to question her identity which in turn makes Sicily question how she could possibly be what she calls "Black and Panamanian." Things aren't just bad at school. Sicily is also dealing with conflict at home when her grandmother refers to her braids as ugly, low class, and ghetto. Through it all, she works to find her voice and a place on her school's magazine.
What Worked: This was an excellent novel. Not quite a 5 star read, but so many things about it were amazing. After listening to the author's note, it was clear to me that Tamika Burgess wrote a lot of this from her own experiences and it definitely is a book that reiterates the need for representation in literature. One of my favorite things about this book was the intricacy of the conflict. Sicily is not only experiencing conflict at school, but also at home and both are challenging her identity. While readers will grow to understand that Sicily's grandmother comes from a different time, the hurt that is caused by her words reiterates the need for children to have a strong support system at home. My heart literally broke for Sicily who was so proud of her hair. It's one thing to hear that nonsense about "good hair" outside the home, but to hear it from an adult that you trust and love is on a different level. I loveddddd that Burgess crafted parents that not only told Sicily when she was wrong, but also listened to her feelings and attempted to see her perspective. It's because of them that readers begin to see that conflict between Sicily and her grandmother heal. I also adored that her mother and father were so willing to teach Sicily what it meant to be Afro-Latine and that she was Black Panamanian and not Black AND Panamanian. They refused to let any pieces or parts of her culture and heritage go unnoticed. Along the way, readers will learn so much information about the history and culture of Panama and will rejoice in the pride that Sicily has in who she is and where she comes from.
One of the more complex conversations that occurs in this book is centered around the difference between culture and race. The students and Sicily don't necessarily understand the difference and that's why she experiences those racist and intrusive comments in the beginning of the novel. This is a conversation that needs to start happening more often than not. I hear wayyyyy too many ADULTS who don't know the difference and it causes both confusion and conflict. I'm so happy that Burgess took the opportunity to have readers learn more as Sicily begins to learn more. There was also this cute look into middle school crushes. I LOVED it. I think that it's easy to avoid talking about romance in middle grade but Burgess does it in a way that charming and true to nature. I remember having my first crush in middle school and it's crafted in this book in such a realistic way.
Overall, this was a great book with amazing writing. I'm definitely looking forward to what Burgess will release in the future. If you haven't had the chance to add this to your list of books to check out, definitely do it now!
Sincerely Sicily follows main character Sicily who is about to attend a new middle school. She's nervous that she won't make any friends because all of her close friends are attending a different school. However, things seem to be okay until Sicily gives her presentation on being Panamanian. Her classmates begin to question her identity which in turn makes Sicily question how she could possibly be what she calls "Black and Panamanian." Things aren't just bad at school. Sicily is also dealing with conflict at home when her grandmother refers to her braids as ugly, low class, and ghetto. Through it all, she works to find her voice and a place on her school's magazine.
What Worked: This was an excellent novel. Not quite a 5 star read, but so many things about it were amazing. After listening to the author's note, it was clear to me that Tamika Burgess wrote a lot of this from her own experiences and it definitely is a book that reiterates the need for representation in literature. One of my favorite things about this book was the intricacy of the conflict. Sicily is not only experiencing conflict at school, but also at home and both are challenging her identity. While readers will grow to understand that Sicily's grandmother comes from a different time, the hurt that is caused by her words reiterates the need for children to have a strong support system at home. My heart literally broke for Sicily who was so proud of her hair. It's one thing to hear that nonsense about "good hair" outside the home, but to hear it from an adult that you trust and love is on a different level. I loveddddd that Burgess crafted parents that not only told Sicily when she was wrong, but also listened to her feelings and attempted to see her perspective. It's because of them that readers begin to see that conflict between Sicily and her grandmother heal. I also adored that her mother and father were so willing to teach Sicily what it meant to be Afro-Latine and that she was Black Panamanian and not Black AND Panamanian. They refused to let any pieces or parts of her culture and heritage go unnoticed. Along the way, readers will learn so much information about the history and culture of Panama and will rejoice in the pride that Sicily has in who she is and where she comes from.
One of the more complex conversations that occurs in this book is centered around the difference between culture and race. The students and Sicily don't necessarily understand the difference and that's why she experiences those racist and intrusive comments in the beginning of the novel. This is a conversation that needs to start happening more often than not. I hear wayyyyy too many ADULTS who don't know the difference and it causes both confusion and conflict. I'm so happy that Burgess took the opportunity to have readers learn more as Sicily begins to learn more. There was also this cute look into middle school crushes. I LOVED it. I think that it's easy to avoid talking about romance in middle grade but Burgess does it in a way that charming and true to nature. I remember having my first crush in middle school and it's crafted in this book in such a realistic way.
Overall, this was a great book with amazing writing. I'm definitely looking forward to what Burgess will release in the future. If you haven't had the chance to add this to your list of books to check out, definitely do it now!