Review by Booklist Review
After her dad is laid off from his job, leaving the family with financial strains, Madalyn's mom arranges for her to move in with her great-uncle, Papa Lobo, so she can attend a new school in a better district. What Madalyn finds, however, is that "new" feels more like "foreign," and "better" seems to be strangely synonymous to "all-white." Madalyn works to navigate the unpredictable forecast of her transplanted life, questioning what it means to be Black in all-white spaces. Though, momentarily, a new friendship casts her doubts aside, they quickly return as Madalyn comes to believe her friend may have racial prejudice against Black people. Readers will appreciate Papa Lobo's casual chats with Madalyn, his flourishes of Creole imparting loving affection as he guides Madalyn through heavy moments of contemplation. This rings especially true as approaching wildfires push Madalyn to cast aside her feelings of distrust to ensure the safety of her friend. Davis captures the often glossed over tenderness of preadolescence, the space between blossoming independence and a lingering desire for the comfort and support of caregivers. As feel-good realistic fiction, this title reminds young readers that families and friendships alike require honesty, compromise, and understanding--especially when the forecast is partly cloudy.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Last year, Madalyn Thomas weathered myriad storms: her best friend moved away, her own family moved across town due to her father's being laid off, and there was a shooting scare at the school she transferred to. Understandably, rising seventh grader Madalyn doesn't want to return--so her parents institute a plan that will accommodate her wish, as well as their new working situations. To attend Kingsbridge Junior High, Madalyn must live with her eccentric great uncle Papa Lobo in Sheldon, Calif. But despite being the only Black girl in her class, having a larger bedroom, new friends, and proximity to a nice library persuades Madalyn to endure. Things seem to be looking up, until Madalyn discovers that one of her new friends suffered a bullying experience and may now discriminate against Black boys. To make matters worse, fire season sweeps through the state. With the help of her elders, Madalyn must recognize that "you don't have to be friends with someone to help them." In this gentle multigenerational narrative, Davis (Serena Says) explores race, tough conversations, and climate change as her endearing protagonist learns to face conflict and embrace community. Ages 8--12. Agent: Steve Chudney, Chudney Agency. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
After weathering several storms during her sixth grade year, Madalyn Thomas seeks better opportunities for seventh grade. Attending Kingsbridge Junior High seems like a better option than Madalyn's old school, but there's a catch: During the week she must live in another town with Papa Lobo, her great-uncle, a Louisiana native who moved to California but still peppers his speech with Creole. Her father's new job has taken him to the East Coast, and her mom is away, spending long hours at work. However, Madalyn is the only Black girl in her class. She befriends Latinx Aria but navigates stares and intrusive questions from classmates who are cued as White--and when a new White friend demonstrates that she may hold prejudiced feelings against Black males, Madalyn must decide if this is a friendship worth pursuing. A subplot involving a neighbor also helps to establish the novel's central themes around responding to mistreatment of others and adhering to one's own values. Young readers will grapple with different interpretations and come to their own conclusions about how not to let the bad actions of others allow one to compromise one's core principles and the sticky question of whether any part of the burden for making peace rests with those who are the victims of discrimination. The California setting, amid the reality of the state's wildfires, will resonate with readers who live with climate-related threats. A timely novel full of thought-provoking questions. (Fiction. 10-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
