Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A Black middle schooler resolves to prove that life is better without the distraction of romance in this wistful novel by Davis (The Science of Friendship). It seems as if everyone in Berry Parker's life is happily in love. Her best friend, Lia, starts ditching Berry to spend more time with a crush; Berry's father has been scheming up ways to interact with her gym teacher; and things have been getting serious between Berry's mother and her boyfriend, Mr. Cole. More than anything, Berry wants her mother to move back home to live with Berry and her father in Dixon Valley so they can be a family again. When her mother arrives for a surprise visit, Berry thinks she'll get her wish--until she learns that Mr. Cole has asked her mother to move to England with him. Struggling to understand what's so great about love--and why it seems to her to drastically shift her community's personalities, priorities, and perspectives--Berry resolves to never catch feelings. As Berry navigates shifting relationships, Davis utilizes sympathetic prose to detail a hopeful yet bittersweet story about confronting change while remaining true to oneself. Ages 8--12. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5--8--Davis's latest examines the struggles of finding oneself amid the chaos of middle school. Black girl Berry knows "love is in the air" everywhere, but all she smells is the stench. Change stinks, and this crush nonsense is ruining everything in her life. As seventh grade begins, her best friend Lia is suddenly obsessed with a new crush, throwing all their carefully made plans for their best year ever into disarray. Now Lia is trying to help Berry find a crush of her own, which she definitely does not want. On top of this,, Berry's divorced parents are both exploring dating, and Berry is worried her mother's boyfriend will take her out of Berry's life forever. Love, in her opinion, causes nothing but change, and that's terrible. Readers will connect with Berry and her friends as they navigate family relationships and explore the onset of romance. Davis offers a realistic, sensitive portrayal of the emotional ups and downs of this age group, especially for children with divorced parents. The author also provides a healthy overview of how it's challenging, and some days feel just awful; but in the end, a change of perspective may be healing. VERDICT A solid purchase, this story will resonate with middle schoolers who have endured similar shifting family structures.--Jennifer Seebauer
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A 12-year-old swims against the tide of her friends, who are obsessed with crushes, while she navigates a shifting relationship with her mother. Beryl "Berry" Parker has an unconventional relationship with her mother. She's lived with her surgical nurse dad full-time since she was 3; her mother manages a "giant resort hotel" near South Lake Tahoe, many hours' drive away. Berry spends three weeks every August getting reacquainted with her mother, all the while secretly hoping they can be reunited as a family. But this summer, Berry is dismayed to learn that her mom wants to follow a man she's involved with to England, where he has a new job. Berry's relationship with her best friend, Lia, feels distant--Lia is obsessed with their classmate Miguel, and she switched to French class without telling Berry. Now Berry, who only signed up for Latin because Lia wanted to take it, feels left behind. In fact, a lot of her friends are changing, and crushes seem to be the culprit. This emotionally intelligent novel will resonate with readers who have experienced shifting relationship dynamics. Berry is a compelling protagonist, and Davis portrays the arc of her growth authentically. The author cleverly uses colors to evoke artistic Berry's different moods and her perceptions of how she and others are feeling (wearing a tangerine tank top, Berry expresses "fizzy warmth and happiness"). Berry and other central characters are Black. An introspective, insightful look at the uncomfortable changes of early adolescence.(Fiction. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
