About This Book
Reach for this book when your teen is grappling with the heavy weight of a sudden loss or struggling to understand how systemic injustice impacts personal lives. This lyrical, short novel picks up after the death of Jeremiah, a Black teenager accidentally killed by police. It follows his white girlfriend Ellie and his grieving mother as they navigate a world that feels fractured and unfair. The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Jeremiah's spirit, offering a profound look at how love persists even when a person is gone. It is a quiet, poetic, and deeply empathetic choice for mature middle schoolers and high schoolers who need to see their own complex feelings of grief and anger reflected on the page. Parents will appreciate how Woodson handles the intersection of race and tragedy with grace and nuance, making it a powerful tool for opening difficult but necessary conversations about healing and social justice.
