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retiredlibrarylady's review
2.0
Confusing and not really interesting. Too much space/comic/movie stuff.
brandypainter's review
3.0
This is an interesting story about family troubles, friend troubles, and finding your place in community. It is quintessentially middle grade. It is a good book to have on hand for voracious readers of this story type. It takes place in the mid 1980s and is about an African American girl whose grandfather was one of the first African American NASA engineers. From him she has inherited a love for science-fiction and fantasy. Over a summer, she must learn to live without him as she visits her father in Harlem. The narration of this is tricky for several reasons. It is first person, and therefore extremely limited to the things the main character knows and her view of them. As a result, I spent the majority of the book wanting to throttle all of the adults. This hampered my personal enjoyment of it. I will also add I don't know that the mentions of the Challenger crew will be that impactful on today's current generation of middle schoolers.
hamckeon's review
I got an ARC of this book at a conference. I really wanted to like this book more, especially as someone who used to watch Star Trek with my dad. I felt there was some background or context missing, especially with the grandfather. I'm hoping that will be added in the final copy.
hulahoopes's review
4.0
I struggled with the first third of this book - maybe I connected a little too much with the awkward in her own world Ebony-Grace.
A very real book filled with a lot of fantasy, I recommend this for readers who love realistic fiction but want something a little different, too.
A very real book filled with a lot of fantasy, I recommend this for readers who love realistic fiction but want something a little different, too.
smo13's review
5.0
Excellent exploration of 1980s Harlem and imagination and being a kid and of course Star Trek and Uhura:)
annalisenak97's review
2.0
So I don't think this book really works for the target audience-- I can't imagine a 10 year old reading it and not being super confused. I still feel confused by this book after finishing it. Basically every single arc in this book remains unresolved after the last page, including and especially Ebony-Grace's war with her own imagination. I think I expected her to find some way to integrate her own imagination into her reality, but that never happened, and the lack of distinction between reality and imagination was just really confusing. Ebony-Grace also feels much younger than the 7th grader she's supposed to be to me. I will say the quality of writing is so excellent, and the setting is really powerful, as are the secondary characters. And the sci-fi space stuff in the book is STRONG! So that was grand, even though I didn't understand most of the references.
wheninapril's review
2.0
DNF-ed at 27%
I don't know what I expected when I started this book, but this certainly isn't it. And I didn't like ebony at all. Very much bratty, entitled and weird. I get living in fantasy, but judging people based on it is not cool.
I don't know what I expected when I started this book, but this certainly isn't it. And I didn't like ebony at all. Very much bratty, entitled and weird. I get living in fantasy, but judging people based on it is not cool.
sweeneysays's review
4.0
Maybe I am wrong and I actually really like middle great, because I'm 2 for 2 on picking up middle grade books this summer and loving them? This book is weird and charming and lovely.
lesdel70's review
3.0
Though I loved Zoboi's American Street, I struggled with this one. It just wasn't my type of story. She's still an amazing author and I'm sure many would love this book, but it just wasn't for me.