By Briana Johnson
Peacthree, 2025
352 pages
978-1-68263-775-3
Age 14 and older
When she turns 18, high-school track star Aaliyah contacts her parents, Lena and Quincy, despite knowing that her stubborn but steadfast Grandpa Joe will be furious. Joe, who raised Aaliyah, vehemently believes that her parents are worthless. Aaliyah’s act of betrayal (in Joe’s eyes) drives a wedge between her and her grandfather, and soon Joe suffers a stroke that puts him in the hospital. Aaliyah’s best friend and cousin, Ivy, blames her for putting their grandpa’s life at risk. Feeling isolated and overwhelmed, Aaliyah turns to Lena and Quincy, who want a relationship with her. This, however, proves challenging: Quincy is rude and stubborn, and Lena stands Aaliyah up on their first meeting. Aaliyah is cautiously willing to give them a second chance, but when she learns that Lena and Quincy have withheld important information from her, she’s not sure she can move past it. As Grandpa Joe recovers, he begins to come to terms with the fact that Aaliyah is now an adult with the right to make choices about her own life, including about her family and romantic relationships, and whether she’ll run track at UCLA—or even go to college at all. Aaliyah excels at communicating her needs, expectations, and boundaries, a skill that serves her well during a tumultuous period of her life. Debut author Briana Johnson offers a complex family story with fully realized characters who are flawed, messy, loving, and infuriating. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center