RADIANT, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Dutton Books for Young Readers, Jan. 7, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 10 and up)
A Black girl faces the complexities of race in Radiant a historical middle-grade novel in verse from multiple Coretta Scott King winner Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.
As school begins in 1963, Cooper Dale wrestles with what it means to “shine” for a black girl in a predominantly white community near Pittsburgh. Set against the historic backdrop of the Birmingham church bombing, the Kennedy assassination, and Beatlemania, Radiant is a finely crafted novel in verse about race, class, faith, and finding your place in a loving family and a complicated world.
Cooper’s primary concern is navigating fifth grade, where she faces both an extra-strict teacher and the bullying of Wade Carter, the only child of a well-to-do white family, whose home Cooper’s mother cleans for extra income. How can she shine when her mother works for the meanest boy in school? To make matters worse, Cooper quietly wishes she could be someone else.
It’s not all bad, though. Cooper and her beloved older sister have fallen for the Beatles, and Cooper is thrilled to have something special they can share. And what she learns about her British idols adds new complexity to Cooper’s feelings about race. —Synopsis provided by Dutton Books for Young Readers
Radiant is a book that speaks to your heart. From the beginning, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson sets the tone:
When I find myself
getting dull,
Mama taught me
all I have to do is
give myself
a good polishing.
Nelson’s beautiful prose is full of meaning. Her verse is spare, adding emphasis and importance to each word.
Cooper’s a smart, inquisitive kid with a big heart. Following along as she faces racism, faces trials in school and delights over discovering The Beatles, you gain a grounded sense of who she is.
Though just over 300 pages, Radiant is a fast read — I read it in one sitting. But it’s also one that sticks with you well after completion.
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