"A girl with a learning disability navigates the demands of her new school and family dynamics. The story’s brisk pace and accessible vocabulary help readers quickly get to know Henri and the interesting supporting cast. Without sacrificing the story’s light tone, the author highlights the daily obstacles that Henri confronts due to her dyscalculia and her longing for a tighter family unit. Skillfully realized, this is an affirming and inspiring tale for readers who are only ever told what they can’t accomplish. Uplifting and amusing, this book will leave readers with valuable lessons." — Kirkus Reviews
"Henri’s struggles with her learning disability, her feeling overwhelmed with her increasingly busy life, and her contentious relationship with Katherine are matter-of-factly portrayed via a complex character who is not singularly defined by her personal challenges. In this hopeful, well-paced volume, Davis (Partly Cloudy) centers accommodation, community, and understanding." — Publishers Weekly
"Davis (Partly Cloudy) shines with this story of a well-meaning adolescent whose learning disability seems to add an extra layer of complication to an already turbulent stage of life. Although Henri’s apprehension toward math seems rooted in her disability, much of that is reinforced by her own family, especially her mother, who emphasizes that Black girls have to work harder to be taken seriously in the world. Davis successfully drives home the importance of finding one’s own path and accepting the journeys of others." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"The author of Serena Says (2020) and Partly Cloudy (2021), Davis does a particularly good job of portraying Henri’s sister, Mom, and Dad as individuals, while keeping the narrative focused on the main character. Henri makes understandable mistakes, and her reactions involve meaningful reflection about issues such as letting others down. An involving middle-grade narrative with a very likable protagonist." — Booklist
PRAISE FOR PARTLY CLOUDY: "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." — Booklist (starred review)
"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." — Kirkus Reviews
"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." — Publishers Weekly
Praise for SERENA SAYS: "Middle school energy forms a bustling backdrop for this clever story of navigating changing relationships and developing a sense of personal identity. At the center is spirited, smart Serena, someone readers will appreciate and cheer. A delightful multicultural narrative that spotlights friendship and self-awareness." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Serena is a smart, intuitive Black girl with relatable fears and insecurities; as the book progresses, she decides she’s ready to step into the spotlight all on her own. Davis capably touches on matters of chronic illness, mental health, and friendship growing pains in this quiet but impactful slice-of-life novel." — Publishers Weekly
"Being the new kid in seventh grade isn’t easy, and [neither is] being Black in a sea of white and brown faces. Davis suggests alternate paths for her protagonist—and by extension, readers—through Madalyn’s challenge: assess whether the friendship is worth pursuing and, if so, insist on the difficult and honest conversations necessary to lay its foundation; or accept the permanence of disaffection, while acting with dignity and respect. Madalyn and Natalie’s . . . mutual courage in reaching for reconciliation offers readers much to ponder." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
2022-09-28
A girl with a learning disability navigates the demands of her new school and family dynamics.
Henrietta “Henri” Weldon, a Black tween, is cautiously excited about starting seventh grade. It’d be helpful if her older sister, Kat, answered any of her probing questions about what to expect, but she’s acted strangely ever since Henri completed her math placement test. In the middle of a mentally taxing first day, the last thing Henri needed was to drop her change in the lunchroom, but it results in her meeting Vinnie Morgan and his multiracial group of foster home siblings. As they form friendships, Henri craves the bond that the Morgans possess; it contrasts with her own competitive, driven family. Kat warns her to stay away from the Morgans, however, seeing them as troublemakers. But Henri doesn’t have much time to worry about this, as she tries to stay on top of parental schoolwork expectations, playing soccer, and writing poetry. The story’s brisk pace and accessible vocabulary help readers quickly get to know Henri and the interesting supporting cast. Without sacrificing the story’s light tone, the author highlights the daily obstacles that Henri confronts due to her dyscalculia (which is never explicitly named in the text) and her longing for a tighter family unit. Skillfully realized, this is an affirming and inspiring tale for readers who are only ever told what they can’t accomplish.
Uplifting and amusing, this book will leave readers with valuable lessons. (Fiction. 8-12)
