Wheatle has delivered a definitive narrative steeped in cultural philosophy and human sensibilities.
Despite the foibles of his tragic characters, a redemptive quality is present--persevering--a testament of the human will to survive against all odds.
Highly recommended.
--Kaieteur News (Guyana)With a tough exterior and brash attitude, Naomi is an authentic character in an unfortunate yet accurate picture of modern-day foster care in the UK.
The ending is neither predictable nor sugarcoated, leaving readers rooting for this determined heroine.
--School Library Journal Included in In the Margins's 2020 Recommended Fiction List Included in Publishers Weekly's African-American Interest Young Readers's Titles, 2019-2020Included in Booklist's Fall 2019 Youth Preview Included in Publishers Weekly's Fall 2019 Children's Sneak PreviewsAs politicians might only see the population's day-to-day lives in terms of statistics rather than experiences, (knowing how many people work on minimum wage doesn't say anything about what the experience is like), they might benefit from more of an insight.
A useful contemporary novel they should pick up is Alex Wheatle's Home Girl, focusing on the experience of a girl in the foster care system who is constantly shifted around and can never find a permanent home.
Wheatle's other books might be just as beneficial, as he draws on his own experiences of Brixton and the social system.
--The Boar, included in The Politicians' Required Reading List Wheatle returns to the world of his award-winning Crongton books with what Atom is calling his most powerful and personal novel yet.
Naomi Brisset is a teenage girl growing up too fast in the UK care system.
Her journey through a series of foster homes exposes the unsettling, often heartwrenching truth of this life.
Yet despite the grit, Wheatle's writing is as rich and warm as ever, bringing courage and hope to an unforgettable heroine's story.
--Bookseller (UK), Editors' ChoiceTeenager Naomi, old b.
