About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is feeling profoundly isolated, whether from the loss of a parent or the weight of high expectations from a strict household. Ruby follows a young West Indian girl in Harlem who is struggling to find her footing after her mother's death and under the thumb of her overbearing father. Her life changes when she enters an intense, transformative relationship with Daphne, a sophisticated and confident peer. This is a pioneering work of young adult literature that explores the intersections of grief, cultural identity, and first love. It is best suited for older teens (14+) due to its mature exploration of romantic intimacy and the complex, sometimes harsh realities of immigrant family dynamics. Parents will value how it validates the search for selfhood and the need for deep, supportive connection during the lonely years of late adolescence.
