Call Me Athena

Girl from Detroit

By: Colby Cedar Smith

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Hardcover | 17 August 2021

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An enchanting novel in verse, Call Me Athena captures one young woman’s struggle for independence, equality, and identity as the daughter of Greek and French immigrants in tumultuous 1930s Detroit.

Mary lives in a tiny apartment in Detroit in the 1930s with her Greek and French immigrant parents, her brothers, and her twin sister, and she questions why her parents ever came to America. She yearns for true love, to own her own business, and to be an independent, modern American woman—much to the chagrin of her parents, who want her to be a “good Greek girl.”

Mary’s story is peppered with flashbacks to her parents’ childhoods in Greece and northern France; their stories connect with Mary as they address issues of arranged marriage, learning about independence, and yearning to grow beyond one’s own culture. Though Call Me Athena is written from the perspective of three profoundly different narrators, it has a wide-reaching message: It takes courage to fight for tradition and heritage, as well as freedom, love, and equality.

Call Me Athena: Girl from Detroit is a beautifully written novel in verse loosely based on author Colby Cedar Smith’s paternal grandmother, creating a historically accurate portrayal of life as an immigrant during the Great Depression, hunger strikes, and violent riots.

Industry Reviews

Awards and Recognitions

JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION
AMERICAN BOOKSELLERS SEPT/OCT 2021 KIDS' INDIE NEXT LIST
2021 GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS POETRY NOMINEE
2022 CYBILS AWARD FINALIST
2022 MICHIGAN NOTABLE BOOK
2022 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER (IPPY) BOOK AWARDS
SILVER MEDAL FOR YA FICTION
GOLD MEDAL FOR AUDIOBOOK FICTION
2022 SILVER NAUTILUS AWARD - LYRIC PROSE CATEGORY
2022 KID'S BOOK CHOICE FINALIST - BEST STELLAR STORYTELLER
2022 MIDWEST BOOK AWARD -- FICTION, YA

(Awards)
Call Me Athena is a kaleidoscope of moments from the past, yet its real strength is the way it takes such different times, places, and stories and shows how commonalities like love, grief, and hope can connect a family over the course of generations. (Booklist)
"A novel in verse, Colby Cedar Smith's Call Me Athena follows the daughter of immigrants in Detroit, with flashbacks to her parents' native France and Greece." (Forbes)
"This story of an immigrant girl growing up in Detroit in the 1930s hits every mark. Woven into the story are her parents' histories and all the love and loss the family has faced. It will tug your heartstrings."
(American Booksellers Association)
A strong debut written with heart and strength. (Kirkus Reviews)
CALL ME ATHENA is a stunning and gorgeous debut from Colby Cedar Smith. Untamed and beautifully wild, this novel in verse careens from the hilltops of France to the olive groves of Greece to the bustling city streets of Detroit. Full of love & images that conjure family, hope, hardship and holding onto our dreams when things fall away from us. With lush, lyrical language, vibrant characters & a storyline that will keep you enthralled from beginning to end, this is a book that stays with you long after the last poem. I love this story.
(Ellen Hagan, co-author of Watch Us Rise and author of Reckless, Glorious Girl)

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