It’s Christmas Eve in Harlem, but twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul and his mom aren’t celebrating. ** WINNER OF THE CORETTA SCOTT KING–JOHN STEPTOE AWARD FOR NEW TALENT! ** It’s the novel we’ve been waiting for.' - The New York TimesĪ boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity. It’s not just a narrative it’s an experience. It's the novel we've been waiting for.' -The New York Times A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother's death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity. It's not just a narrative it's an experience. I don’t have an answer, but I’m curious to hear what you all think.'The right story at the right time. So here’s my question: What is the job of books? Is the job of books to paint society as we wish it would be? Is is to always provide commentary about issues? Is it to paint society and interpersonal relationships as they are? Something else entirely? Not that this description is acceptable or that the experience is acceptable, but it is definitely true to life. Lolly’s mom may not feel like he’s in a position to correct Lolly’s father when he refers to Johnathan in a derogatory manner. On the one hand, we are filtered through Lolly’s perspective and the description of Mr.

I think, in terms of representation, this is a hard conversation to have. It revolved around representation of an LGBTQ character who was frequently referred to as “limp-wristed,” playing into stereotypes of gay men. The conversation I had with was a tough one. #stickynotereviews #bookreview #bibliophile #reader #booksofinstagram #middlegrade #middlegradebooks #Ī post shared by eli oldham on at 7:47pm PDT By the end, Lolly realizes how far he's actually come thanks to good friends and an experience that makes him reevaluate the choices he's making. He has setbacks that make his mean-streak resurface.

Lolly's path to being okay after his brother died isn't a straight line. With grace, Moore shows us how Lolly walks through the world. The big reveal isn't so big to the reader, however, in the world of a 12 year old, it's a big deal.

We know at the beginning that there was some kind of fight between Lolly and his brother Jermaine, but Lolly's not talking about it. Twelve-year-old Lolly turns to creating with Legos as a way of working through the grief from the loss of his brother. #SNRtbs The Stars Beneath Our Feet is a middle grade novel that reads like a Spike Lee movie. #bookaday The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore.

The stars beneath