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When Dhonielle Clayton blurbs a book and says it will rattle the bones, I drop what I'm doing and read. A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow is an anthem in every sense, a story so real and relevant that I had to rewind to make sure she wasn't actually psychic. Part social commentary, part magical realism, A Song Below Water is a modern day Crucible, but badass. Told in alternating perspectives, sisters Tavia and Effie must find their voices and nagivate a world where Black girls have no one to fight for them but each other. YA is often criticized for it's lack of complexity (that's a conversation for another time), but this is not that. There are so many layers to this story: racism, sexism, police brutality, relationships between Black and white women, found family, authenticity, education...I COULD KEEP GOING. @beingabookwyrm said it best when she said that even though this book is full of trauma, it is ultimately hopeful (and emphasizes how important it is to see Black joy represented in YA). Please read her review. Needless to say, I WILL be getting a copy of this for my classroom, and young adult or not, you should be picking one up, too. . Thanks to @librofm for providing educators like me with audiobooks like this one! via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/CBQWjIMAKwi/

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