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Reviewed by:
  • The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert
  • Deborah Stevenson, Editor
Colbert, Brandy The Only Black Girls in Town. Little, 2020 [368p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-316-45638-8 $16.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-316-45637-1 $9.99
Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 5-8

Rising seventh-grader Alberta loves her dads and her life in her California beach town, but she’s excited when agemate Edie and her mother move into the B&B across the street and Alberta’s family is no longer the only Black household on the block. As Alberta gets to know Edie, who misses her New York life and dad, her relationship with best friend Laramie encounters some strain, especially when Laramie buddies up with racist eighth-grader Nicolette. Meanwhile, Edie and Alberta pore together over diaries, found in the attic of Edie’s new house, that tell of a young African-American woman passing as white in 1950s California. Colbert capably combines a familiar tale of middle-school friendships under pressure with details about ongoing racial microaggressions (“Are you two cousins?” the vice-principal asks Edie and Alberta on Edie’s first day), and Alberta’s narrative is thoughtful about the way Edie’s presence allows her to be more open about race. The implausibly literary diaries strain credulity, but their themes tie in with present-day exploration of family relationships and explorations of identity. This is an effective blend of easy accessibility and sharp perception, and it will invite a wide readership.

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