Publishers Weekly
★ 11/14/2022
Sicily Jordan, who is Panamanian American, is excited to start sixth grade at Ravenswood Middle School with her three best friends, until new zoning results in her no longer being eligible to attend, and she’s forced to enroll at local Shirley Chisholm Middle School instead. On her first day of class, Sicily gets a flyer for the school’s magazine club, for which she hopes to channel her passion for writing. She also reconnects with Filipina classmate Reyna, with whom she was friends in kindergarten. During a presentation in which Sicily is tasked with educating her classmates about her heritage, a student asks, “If your family is from Panama and they speak Spanish, why are you Black?” When she tries to talk to her family about her frustrations surrounding the classmate’s remarks, her abuela makes an anti-Black comment about Sicily’s hair that leaves her feeling betrayed. Despite her strained relationships, Sicily stays focused on learning more about her Black and Latina roots; her research inspires her to stand up to her bullies, including her beloved abuela. Timely and refreshing, Burgess’s vulnerably rendered debut empathetically tackles colorism and highlights the courage it takes to confront the hurtful words of strangers and loved ones alike. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
"Impressively models the ways an ordinary girl—consistently serving fab lip gloss looks—can be an extraordinary self-advocate even when she shouldn’t have to be. Prejudice can show up anywhere; this smart, rich novel deserves to be read everywhere." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Timely and refreshing, Burgess’s vulnerably rendered debut empathetically tackles colorism and highlights the courage it takes to confront the hurtful words of strangers and loved ones alike." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Burgess shines with her satisfying exploration of culture and identity...An enlightening and hopeful reflection on an individual’s power to combat our nation’s monolithic view of race and culture—one story at a time." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Readers will connect to the realistic situations presented in this novel, as well as the themes pertaining to change, personal identity, and grief." — Booklist
"Tween readers will relate to Sicily’s story of finding herself while navigating changes and uncertainty." — School Library Journal
"Brimming with Afro-Latina magic, Sincerely Sicily is a stunning debut!” — Tami Charles, New York Times bestselling author of All Because You Matter and Like Vanessa
“A beautiful, nuanced, and empowering discovery of Afro-Panamanian culture and Black girl magic estilo Latina.” — Américas Award–winning author Aida Salazar
“The more Sicily learns about her ancestors and their struggles and strengths, the more her pride and self-confidence grow. This book shows that knowledge truly is power.” — Hilda Eunice Burgos, author of Ana Mari’a Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle and Miosotis Flores Never Forgets
“Sweet and full of heart, Burgess paints a beautiful portrait of race and culture that puts Afro-Latinos in the spotlight in a way that so many readers need.” — Paula Chase, author of critically acclaimed novels So Done and Turning Point
School Library Journal
12/23/2022
Gr 5 Up—It's incredibly difficult for authors to faithfully write adolescent voices, to give weight to their struggles and concerns without coming across as condescending. Thankfully, Burgess completely embodies sixth-grader Sicily, making her fears and concerns spot-on for a new middle schooler. She's not an outcast or nerd. Sicily is popular, adorable, and smart. Her struggles with family and friends are not catastrophic, but feel true to life. Will she be able to make lasting friendships with her new classmates? Will she return to her writing roots after her biggest cheerleader, Abuelo, passes away? Will she mend fences with her grandmother even after Abeula's microaggressions towards Sicily boil over and burn her soul? The curiosity and growth reflect preteen angst perfectly—trials aren't astounding, but they're groundbreaking and still matter. Alongside the story of Sicily starting a new school without her elementary crew, Burgess weaves in an exploration of Sicily's cultural identity as a Black Panamanian. There's a natural progression of questioning about race and culture. Again, there's lovely lightness in how the questions are handled. There's no trauma depicted, just discomfort that sparks Sicily towards action. VERDICT Tween readers will relate to Sicily's story of finding herself while navigating changes and uncertainty.—Cat McCarrey
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-09-28
Sixth grade changes Sicily Jordan’s whole world and how she sees herself.
Sicily lives in San Diego with her parents; older brother, Enrique; and paternal grandmother. While she and her mother are darker-skinned Black Panamanians, Sicily’s father; his mother, Abuela Belén; and Enrique are much lighter, yet it’s never been much of an issue before, as they all share and celebrate Panameño heritage. Sicily has a tightknit friend group of Black girls who, due to school zone borders, won’t be going to her new school with her. At Shirley Chisholm Middle, while also working tirelessly on challenging school assignments and friendships, culture and identity become a stressful focus for Sicily. Her classmates find the existence of Afro-Latine people inherently confusing and say so in hurtful ways. Meanwhile at home, Abuela Belén’s deep-seated colorism and racism boil over into hostile interactions with her vulnerable granddaughter. Sicily feels attacked from all angles, and while supportive conversations with close friends and family are heartening, her convictions as a writer like her late Abuelo and a researcher of her own heritage impressively model the ways an ordinary girl—consistently serving fab lip gloss looks—can be an extraordinary self-advocate even when she shouldn’t have to be. The laudable culmination presents all Sicily has learned about herself and Panamanian history and, in doing so, offers a striking learning opportunity for those who struggle with understanding cultural and racial differences.
Prejudice can show up anywhere; this smart, rich novel deserves to be read everywhere. (Fiction. 9-13)
