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mandkips's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Bullying, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Homophobia and Death
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this book! The Only Black Girls in Town is an engaging middle grade novel that discusses friendship, family, and fitting in. It takes the reader on a journey through several types of family units and friendships while also addressing the challenges of growing up. There’s discussions about racism and school hierarchy and a mystery tangled in too… it’s good! Completely good.
The Only Black Girls in Town reads like an older middle grade/younger YA book. Al and her friends are entering the seventh grade and as such they’re at a point in their life where they are searching for their own identities. This comes in several shades, including the way they present themselves to the world and the people they spend their time with. While Alberta is technically our protagonist, we get the see different stories in her two best friends, Laramie and Edie. There is so much representation in this book on small levels, the types of things that normally are forgotten. It was really nice to see the variety of lived experiences between the three girls, let alone everyone else in the story.
While I would say that the bulk of the novel deals with Al and friends’ experiences growing up in their small town community, the subplot surrounding Constance also tells us an important truth. In some ways, it reminded me of this book I liked when I was growing up, Paperquake, in that it involves finding mysterious journals and such in an old house. But that is where the similarities end – Constance’s story exists to cast a light in how recently segregation was a part of daily American life – less on “how far we have come” and more on “we still have so far to go”.
I also enjoyed Constance’s story because it shows how even though Al always thought she was an “only”, there are so many people out there who are part of the community. The Only Black Girls in Town addresses experiences for those of mixed race – both historically and in modernity. While I am not qualified to declare it was done well since I am not Black or of mixed race, I can say that as an outsider, I was really nice to see.
The Only Black Girls in Town is an easy recommendation. It’s a mix of contemporary struggles and a historically rooted mystery and as such keeps the reader engaged and rooting for Al and her friends. I haven’t discussed the gay couple, artist commune living, and holistic pregnancy, but all of that is really nice to see as well. The entire book is accessible to its reader base and never feels childish, the way some middle grade novels do. The Only Black Girls in Town very much needs to be available to students in school libraries – this is the type of book that represents many different people in many different ways and it is an excellent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Toxic friendship and Death
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