American Street
by Ibi Zoboi
4 stars
When Fabiola’s mother is detained by immigration when they leave Haiti to visit family in the United States, Fabiola is forced to navigate Detroit with only her aunt and her gruff cousins to guide her. Her aunt has recently had a stroke, and her cousins are tough, gruff Detroit natives, known to everyone as the Three Bees (brains, beauty & brawn). There are hints of magical realism as Fabiola tries to hold on to her Haitian roots, continuing to pray to the Voodoo spirits to help her and seeing them in the people she meets – the homeless man across the street who sings through the night, the hairdresser that gives her an American makeover, the detective who asks her to spy on her family and friends in order to save her mother, and the cute boy who calls her Fabulous. This gritty story is definitely recommend for older teens or adults looking for a gripping diverse and emotional story about family, love, and the true meaning of “home.”
Read-alikes
Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
