A contemporary young adult novel about one life-altering year of a biracial Black and white teen boy, showing
a raw glimpse into the systemic inequality in racialized communities.
Zay's ma always said his mouth would get him in trouble. Sure enough, it got him into his first and only fight
in his junior year of high school. Expelled from his district, Zay's only hope for redemption is to transfer to
Broadlawn Alternative School and complete the year.
Zay isn't thrilled about the disgusting school lunch and classroom trailers at Broadlawn, and boarding with his
aunt Mel and her live-in boyfriend isn't the greatest. But he'd rather be there than in the city dealing with his
estranged father, his overbearing mother, and the fallout from his fight. Besides, Broadlawn has Feven, the
beautiful new student Zay is starting to get to knowand fall for.
Still, first love is rarely a fairy tale, and as Zay's time in Broadlawn comes to an end, he learns that shaping
yourself within a new place is a lot harder than letting it shape you.
A tender contemplation of first love, broken families, and healing generational trauma by an incredible voice in
young adult fiction.
