From the Publisher
Praise for The Life I'm In:
*"[A]ny reader can appreciate this novel’s indelible impact."-Publisher's Weekly, starred review
*"A sequel for today's time...[an] unflinching narrative...vivid and important."-Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*“A much-desired sister novel…[A] difficult yet necessary sequel.”-Booklist, starred review
Praise for The Skin I'm In:
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Publishers Weekly Author to Watch
*"Flake's debut novel will hit home...echoes universal brink-of-adolescence concerns."-Publishers Weekly, starred
"Funny and clever...will pull readers into a world too rarely represented in middle-grade fiction."-Booklist
"Young teens will appreciate Flake's authenticity."-School Library Journal
Praise for Pinned:
Best Books of Year for Kirkus Reviews
NAACP Image Award Nominee
*"Flake avoids tidiness, constructing two authentic, distinct voices that expose the strengths and flaws of both teenagers."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
*"[The protagonists], in addition to the supporting characters--parents, teachers, and friends alike--have distinctive personalities and voices, enhancing the story's depth and complexity."-The Horn Book, starred review
Praise for The Unstoppable Octobia May:
"Socially conscious work of historical fiction... smart, spirited, and hopeful."-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"[A] page-turning read that never feels like a history lesson."-The Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2020-10-22
A troubled African American teen gets caught up in the world of trafficking as she tries to cope with negative feelings about herself.
Despite her sister’s best efforts, 16-year-old Charlese Jones is still making trouble and getting kicked out of school. Her sister and guardian, JuJu, has had enough and prepares to send her to their grandparents in Alabama. On the bus ride, Char continues to be angry, irreverent, and difficult. She argues with the driver and drinks alcohol she has smuggled in her bag. Still, she interacts with others on the bus, learning their stories and thinking about her own life. When new passenger April and her baby, Cricket, board, they become Char’s focus—and then April disappears, leaving Cricket behind. When the man who left with April returns, he takes Char into the dark world of sexual trafficking, a place she begins to think she deserves. Flake follows her groundbreaking novel The Skin I’m In (1998) with a sequel for these times. Char, the antagonist from the first book, is presented here in all her vulnerability, eliciting empathy even as she makes mistakes. The ease with which some prey on vulnerable youth is starkly portrayed, balanced by the efforts of other caring adults to save them. The unflinching narrative is rich in dialogue and detail.
A vivid and important depiction of the struggles of too many teens. (author's note, research and resources) (Fiction. 14-18)
