Philly native Roberta Forest is a precocious rebel with the soul of a poet. The thirteen-year-old is young, gifted, black, and Catholic—although she’s uncertain about the Catholic part after she calls Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite for enslaving people and her nun responds with a racist insult. Their ensuing fight makes Roberta question God and the important adults in her life, all of whom seem to see truth as gray when Roberta believes it’s black or white.
An upcoming essay contest, writing poetry, and reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X all help Roberta cope with the various difficulties she’s experiencing in her life, including her parent’s troubled marriage. But when she’s told she’s ineligible to compete in the school’s essay contest, her explosive reaction to the news leads to a confrontation with her mother, who shares some family truths Roberta isn’t ready for.
Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Malcolm and Me is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
An upcoming essay contest, writing poetry, and reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X all help Roberta cope with the various difficulties she’s experiencing in her life, including her parent’s troubled marriage. But when she’s told she’s ineligible to compete in the school’s essay contest, her explosive reaction to the news leads to a confrontation with her mother, who shares some family truths Roberta isn’t ready for.
Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Malcolm and Me is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Praise for this book
"From her electric opening, Farmer gifts us a story so necessary and so compelling, I found myself weeping for the 13 year old girl inside of me who didn't get to read this stunning novel. Roberta is witty and bright and perfect in all the imperfect ways of a new teen who cannot help but to impetuously react to a world she cannot control. Farmer delivers a smart and timeless story that brilliantly captures the teenage angst of not only 1970s America but of today, while managing to offer laughter and love in equal measure." - Lauren Francis-Sharma
"Farmer has created a timely and relevant story, peopled with realistic characters. Many readers will discover much about themselves alongside Roberta as they travel with her on her journey of self-discovery. We need more characters--in books and in real life--as strong and as willing to speak up as Roberta is." - Padma Venkatraman
"Farmer has created a timely and relevant story, peopled with realistic characters. Many readers will discover much about themselves alongside Roberta as they travel with her on her journey of self-discovery. We need more characters--in books and in real life--as strong and as willing to speak up as Roberta is." - Padma Venkatraman
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