This bookish meme tells the blogosphere what we’re waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for! It’s hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!
Fans of Jason Reynolds’ As Brave as You and Kwame Alexander’s Solo will love this debut YA coming-of-age novel in verse that explores race in America, family relationships, and the deep meaning of living up to a generational legacy.
It’s hard to find anything in the shadows. Roosevelt “Rose” Newman III should know—he lives in a lot of them.
There’s the shadow of his successful older sister who is getting her PhD; his father’s lofty expectations; the shadows of the primarily white students at Rose’s private school; and, most importantly, the shadow of his civil rights activist grandfather—the original Roosevelt Newman—who was killed before Rose was born. His legacy is impossible to live up to, as are Rose’s father’s lofty expectations.
When a teacher makes a racist comment and Rose uses his graffiti art to retaliate, he’s thrust into the limelight. As a punishment from his father, Rose must complete community service and attend a trip to his family’s house in Alabama to attend a ceremony honoring his grandfather.
But as he spends time with his extended family, photos and family stories reveal that Rose may be more like Roosevelt the first in far more than name. Award-winning author Kelly J. Baptist blends heritage and heart to bring her debut YA novel to life.
Published by: HarperCollins
Expected Publication: February 23, 2027
Why I’m Waiting: This cover is amazing! And this synopsis has me wishing I had this one in my hands NOW! It IS a novel in verse so I’m a little nervous about that, but all the other things about it still make me want to read it immediately! I just know this book is going to be one of my favorites of the year!
What about you? Will you read this when it comes out? What do you think about the cover? Let me know in the comments!