For Black Girls Like Me

For Black Girls Like Me

Publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication Year

2019

ISBN

9780374308049

Pages

336 pages

Genre

realism

Format

novel

Item Type

Fiction

Annotation

Makeda June Kirkland is eleven years old, adopted, and black. Her parents and big sister are white, and even though she loves her family very much, Makeda often feels left out. When Makeda's family moves from Maryland to New Mexico, she leaves behind her best friend, Lena― the only other adopted black girl she knows― for a new life. In New Mexico, everything is different. At home, Makeda’s sister is too cool to hang out with her anymore and at school, she can’t seem to find one real friend. Through it all, Makeda can’t help but wonder: What would it feel like to grow up with a family that looks like me? Through singing, dreaming, and writing secret messages back and forth with Lena, Makeda might just carve a small place for herself in the world. For Black Girls Like Me is for anyone who has ever asked themselves: How do you figure out where you are going if you don’t know where you came from?

Grade Level

6-8; 9-12

Lexile Measure

HL500L

Diversity Topics

Family Relationships; Health & Disability; Race & Culture; Adoption; Mental illness; Race discrimination; adopted child; racism; prejudice; bipolar disorder; depression; self harm; suicidal thoughts and/or tendencies

Main Character

female child

Race/Ethnicities

Black / African-American / Brown-skinned

Awards

Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children, 2020, Recommended
Cybils Awards, 2019, Nominee, Middle Grade Fiction
YouPer (Young Person) Award, 2020, Short List

Keywords

acceptance; white family adopting black girl; change; homeschool; musician

Diversity Impact

direct

For Black Girls Like Me

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