Lu by Jason Reynolds (review)

We've heard from Ghost, Patina, and Sunny (BCCB 10/16, 10/17, 6/18), and now it's time for the fourth—and perhaps sadly for Reynolds's Track fans, final—newbie on the Defenders track team to take the mic. Lu, the self-styled "fine-o albino," has spent a life perfecting his front, reciting a mantra of self-confidence like a spell against anyone who might confront his melanin-free black self. He's got talent, he's got his parents' love and support, and soon he's going to have a baby sister, a miracle baby his parents never saw coming. As he muses on what kind of big brother he will be to the baby he has been entrusted to name, he discovers some secrets from his father's past that rip Dad from a lofty pedestal, force Lu to consider that his parents were once teens with a history of questionable decisions, and finally use his father's example to deal honestly with the hurt he's been denying about his own appearance. If this is indeed the series finale, it's a commendable one, leaving the rookies in solidarity with each other and even with their older teammates. Readers also discover more of Coach's backstory, which intertwines with that of Lu's father and leads directly to an ending that reassures that it's never too late to atone for past crimes, sins, and errors. There's no preaching here (okay, Coach gets a little emotional, but he's Coach, so he's entitled), just the closing "All good, bro" that middle-schoolers will appreciate. EB