The Revolution of Birdie Randolph

by Brandy Colbert

Overview

From Stonewall Award winner Brandy Colbert comes a novel about first love, family, and hidden secrets that will stay with you long after turning the last page.

Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past... whom she knows her parents will never approve of.

When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded -- she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316448574
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	08/20/2019
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	893,380
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Brandy Colbert is the critically acclaimed author of the novels Pointe, Finding Yvonne, and Stonewall Award winner Little & Lion. Born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, she now lives and writes in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/03/2019

Stonewall Award–winner Colbert (Little & Lion) does not disappoint with this coming-of-age story of a young black woman from Chicago. Dove “Birdie” Randolph, 16, is a model teen, until her mother’s sister, who has been in and out of rehab, arrives for a stay. Struggling with a need for autonomy and frustrated with her controlling mother, Birdie samples her first alcoholic beverage and hides the existence of her new boyfriend, sweet ex-juvie inmate Booker, for whom she’s fallen fast. Birdie forges a close relationship with her aunt while concealing her behavior from her mom, but when Birdie’s decisions catch up to her, revealing a hidden truth about her parents, Birdie’s world and newfound agency crumble. Despite occasionally predictable plotting, Colbert creates a unique cast of well-developed characters navigating responsibility, grief, racial profiling, and addiction. Providing a great deal of entertainment as Birdie’s inexperience lands her in awkward situations, this thrilling tale of first love explores what it means to be held to an impossible standard and still learn to live an authentic life. Ages 12–up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM Partners. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Revolution of Birdie Randolph:


A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction of 2019 Pick
An ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
An ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Pick

*"Colbert's latest novel brilliantly delves into first loves, forbidden romance, rebellion, and family expectations-all of which teens will strongly relate to."—Booklist, starred review

*"The Revolution of Birdie Randolph crescendos with an unexpected, masterful plot twist and an extremely satisfying ending."—Shelf Awareness, starred review

*"...this thrilling tale of first love explores what it means to be held to an impossible standard and still learn to live an authentic life."—Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"A beautiful and necessary read."—Buzzfeed

"...the book may actually help struggling teens realize that they are not alone in whatever hardships they may face."

—School Library Connection

"A great addition to teen collections everywhere."—School Library Journal

"...an emotionally gripping tale about family and young love and how they can be your entire world while still being worlds apart."—Kirkus

"There are few authors in contemporary YA today who write with Colbert's quiet power and nuance, and her fourth novel is a perfect example."—Barnes & Noble Teen Blog

"..touching and uplifting."—Entertainment Weekly

"A beautiful and necessary read."—Buzzfeed

Praise for Finding Yvonne: "Brandy Colbert has crafted a meaningful and masterful book that explores all of the different ways that we can surprise ourselves. Yvonne's path through family ties, hidden talents, and difficult decisions reveals the hard-won truth of an unforgettable character. I loved this book."—Robin Benway, National Book Award Winner and New York Times bestselling author of Far from the Tree

"...thoughtful coming-of-age story..."—VOYA

"A pitch-perfect song of a book about all the ways a heart can break and mend, Finding Yvonne will stay with you long past its final, bittersweet notes."—Elana K. Arnold, author of National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of

Praise for Little & Lion:
"Little and Lion is beautifully insightful, honest, and compassionate. Brandy's ability to find larger meaning in small moments is nothing short of dazzling."—National Book Award Finalist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything Everything, Nicola Yoon

"Brandy Colbert further establishes herself as one of contemporary YA's biggest talents in this thoughtful and thought-provoking examination of identity, loyalty, and what it means to live with integrity. Little & Lion is a stunningly good novel."—Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken

"Brandy Colbert takes us on an emotional and gorgeous journey with a protagonist who is trying to figure out where she fits in with her family as well as in the world. A book full of overwhelming love and courage."—Sara Farizan, author of Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel

* "This superbly written novel teems with meaningful depth, which is perfectly balanced by romance and the languorous freedom of summer."—Booklist, starred review

* "A moving, diverse exploration of the challenges of growing up and the complicated nature of loyalty."—School Library Journal, starred review

* "Colbert sensitively confronts misconceptions about mental illness, bisexuality, and intersectional identity.... A vibrantly depicted Los Angeles."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "From the threads of love and romance, to redefining family life, readers of all walks of life will find an entry point to this title."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"A moving and well-realized examination of secrecy, trust, and intimacy."—Publishers Weekly

" Hand [Little & Lion] to readers who like thoughtful, edgy stories with no easy answers."—VOYA

"With compelling honesty, Colbert portrays Suzette's evolving understanding of her sexuality, Lionel's longing for self-sufficiency alongside the challenges of his mental illness, and the difficulty of shifting familial relationships."—Horn Book

From the Publisher

06/01/2019

Gr 8 Up—Sixteen-year-old Dove "Birdie" Randolph faces challenges during the summer before her junior year of high school. She is expected to spend the summer taking SAT prep classes and helping at her mom's beauty salon, but what she really wants to do is spend time with Booker. Unfortunately, because Booker has been in trouble with the law, Birdie knows her strict parents won't approve of the relationship, so she sees him behind their backs. In the meantime, her aunt Carlene comes to live with the Randolph family after completing rehab. The troubled relationship between Carlene and Birdie's mother adds a layer of complexity to Birdie's summer plans; Carlene also provides Birdie with an ally to figure out how to convince her parents that Booker has dealt with his legal issues and is on the right path. In the midst of all this, a long-kept family secret surfaces and Birdie has to redefine the way she sees her family. This is a lovely portrait of a close-knit urban African American family that offers insight into the push from within for black excellence. In addition, it portrays a family struggling with addiction and helps illustrate what recovery can look like. Also, big cheers for a darker-skinned African American teen on the cover. VERDICT A great addition to teen collections everywhere. Give to readers hungry for The Hate U Give read-alikes.—Kristin Lee Anderson, Jackson County Library Services, OR

School Library Journal

Narrator Andrea Lang gives voice to Chicago teen Dove “Birdie” Randolph. While striving for perfection to please her parents, she also bristles at their rigid expectations. Secretly dating a boy her parents would not approve of and becoming close with her estranged aunt, Birdie builds new relationships. When revelations of family secrets shock the teen, she questions her view of everything she knew about herself. Lang’s pleasant voice sounds appropriate for Birdie; however, uneven pacing, when coupled with a flat tone and frequently indistinguishable characters, fails to capture the listener’s attention. Though Lang provides a straightforward performance, her mostly monotone narration makes it easy to miss changes in scenes. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2019 - AudioFile

Narrator Andrea Lang gives voice to Chicago teen Dove “Birdie” Randolph. While striving for perfection to please her parents, she also bristles at their rigid expectations. Secretly dating a boy her parents would not approve of and becoming close with her estranged aunt, Birdie builds new relationships. When revelations of family secrets shock the teen, she questions her view of everything she knew about herself. Lang’s pleasant voice sounds appropriate for Birdie; however, uneven pacing, when coupled with a flat tone and frequently indistinguishable characters, fails to capture the listener’s attention. Though Lang provides a straightforward performance, her mostly monotone narration makes it easy to miss changes in scenes. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2019 - AudioFile

2019-04-16
Dove "Birdie" Randolph is a 16-year-old black girl working to figure out family, love, and what she really wants in life.

The Chicago high school sophomore lives with her mother and father in their apartment above her mother's hair salon; her sister, Mimi, is away at college. Dove's parents have her on a strict academic schedule, and Dove faces a summer constrained by rules with little room for socializing except with her best friend, Lazarus "Laz" Ramos. Recently Dove began sneaking out to see Booker Stratton, a boy she's grown to really like but who has a past her parents would not approve of. Into this setting comes her Aunt Carlene, her mom's sister, who has been rarely seen and even less frequently spoken about. Carlene, an addict who has spent much of her life in and out of rehab, moves in with Dove and her parents, bringing tension into the family, although Dove soon develops a warm connection with her. The exposure of a family secret threatens to derail the tenuous balance. Colbert (Finding Yvonne, 2018, etc.) pens an emotionally gripping tale about family and young love and how they can be your entire world while still being worlds apart. The treatment of topics such as the impact of addiction, racial profiling and discrimination, and sexuality (Mimi and Laz are queer) is skillful and will resonate.

Moving and memorable. (Fiction. 13-adult)

Kirkus Reviews