All the Fighting Parts

by Hannah V. Sawyerr

Overview

In the vein of Grown and The Poet X, Hannah V. Sawyerr’s All the Fighting Parts is a searing and defiant young adult novel in verse about reclaiming agency after a sexual assault within the church community.

Sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh has always believed in using her voice as her weapon—even when it gets her into trouble. After cursing at a classmate, her father forces her to volunteer at their church with Pastor Johnson.

But Pastor Johnson isn’t the holy man everyone thinks he is.

The same voice Amina uses to fight falls quiet the night she is sexually assaulted by Pastor Johnson. After that, her life starts to unravel: her father is frustrated that her grades are slipping, and her best friend and boyfriend don’t understand why the once loud and proud girl is now quiet and distant. In a world that claims to support survivors, Amina wonders who will support her when her attacker is everyone’s favorite community leader.

When Pastor Johnson is arrested for a different crime, the community is shaken and divided; some call him a monster and others defend him. But Amina is secretly relieved. She no longer has to speak because Pastor Johnson can’t hurt her anymore—or so she believes.

To regain her voice and sense of self, Amina must find the power to confront her abuser—in the courtroom and her heart—and learn to use all the fighting parts within her.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419762611
Publisher:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	09/19/2023
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	62,641
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.40(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Hannah V. Sawyerr was recognized as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016. Her spoken word has been featured on the BBC’s World Have Your Say program as well as the National Education Association’s “Do You Hear Us?” campaign. Her written word has been included in gal-dem, Rookie, and xoNecole. She holds a BA in English from Morgan State University and an MFA in creative writing from the New School. Sawyerr is an English professor at Loyola Marymount University and lives in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

Incredibly moving, beautifully written, and oh-so powerful, All the Fighting Parts is a stunning debut novel-in-verse. Hannah V. Sawyerr is a talent to watch.

Liz Lawson

Gutsy and defiant, All the Fighting Parts is a battle hymn for loud-mouthed girls, and a searing invitation to all—but especially survivors—to speak their truth.

New York Times bestselling author Joy McCullough

"A lightning bolt of a debut."

New York Times bestselling author of Raybearer Jordan Ifueko

A powerful story about what must be done with silence. Sawyerr gives us the answer that we all need to hear: Break it.

author of Dear Medusa Olivia A. Cole

From the very first pages of All the Fighting Parts, Amina grabbed me with her will to not just survive but thrive. Raw, no-nonsense verse digs deep into Amina’s emotions as she fights her way back after sexual assault to find her voice and reclaim her life. An incredible, empowering book.

award-winning author of White Rose and The Most Da Kip Wilson

Perfect for readers of Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, All the Fighting Parts is an honest, brilliant, and powerful novel-in-verse. Amina’s story isn’t just about a girl who survives sexual assault. Readers will root for her as she journeys through survival, grief of losing a parent, and the role faith can play in finding oneself. A mixed media novel filled with smart writing and honest poetry, Sawyerr tackles difficult topics like religion, sexuality, and survival with tenderness and care. A must read for anyone who has ever felt the words ‘me too’ in their heart.

author of The Truth Project Dante Medema

"This book is a victory."

#1 New York Times bestselling author Mark Oshiro

The sharp shift in tone and structure instantly divides Amina’s story into a stark before and after in the same way an assault can divide a life. But she, like most courageous victims, refuses to let divide define her. A heroic and candid debut.

critically acclaimed author of Nothing Burns as Br Ashley Woodfolk

Gutsy and defiant, All the Fighting Parts is a battle hymn for loud-mouthed girls, and a searing invitation to all—but especially survivors—to speak their truth.”—Joy McCullough, New York Times bestselling author

“The sharp shift in tone and structure instantly divides Amina’s story into a stark before and after in the same way an assault can divide a life. But she, like most courageous victims, refuses to let divide define her. A heroic and candid debut.”—Ashley Woodfolk, critically acclaimed author of Nothing Burns as Bright as You

“Incredibly moving, beautifully written, and oh-so powerful, All the Fighting Parts is a stunning debut novel-in-verse. Hannah V. Sawyerr is a talent to watch.” —Liz Lawson, New York Times bestselling author of The Agathas, The Night in Question, and The Lucky O

“Perfect for readers of Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, All the Fighting Parts is an honest, brilliant, and powerful novel-in-verse. Amina’s story isn’t just about a girl who survives sexual assault. Readers will root for her as she journeys through survival, grief of losing a parent, and the role faith can play in finding oneself. A mixed media novel filled with smart writing and honest poetry, Sawyerr tackles difficult topics like religion, sexuality, and survival with tenderness and care. A must read for anyone who has ever felt the words ‘me too’ in their heart.”—Dante Medema, author of The Truth Project

“From the very first pages of All the Fighting Parts, Amina grabbed me with her will to not just survive but thrive. Raw, no-nonsense verse digs deep into Amina’s emotions as she fights her way back after sexual assault to find her voice and reclaim her life. An incredible, empowering book.”—Kip Wilson, award-winning author of White Rose and The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin

“A powerful story about what must be done with silence. Sawyerr gives us the answer that we all need to hear: Break it.”—Olivia A. Cole, author of Dear Medusa

****STARRED REVIEW*****
"Amina’s emotional growth and experiences in therapy feel authentic, leading to a satisfying ending that is properly earned. An unforgettable story of healing told through phenomenal poetry."—Kirkus

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Achingly profound and inspiring; a must for all collections.."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 09/01/2023

Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh is a reflection of her deceased mother—not only her dark skin and kinky curls, but her spirit. Her words are her weapon: all the fighting parts from her mom that concern her father. When Amina's sharp tongue lands her in trouble again at school, her father's solution is to send her to volunteer for a well-respected pastor at church. Annoyed at first to be working alongside "Holy Holly" from school, Amina becomes motivated by an offer to be paid for her work. One evening Pastor "Call me Randall" Johnson sets up a scenario where they are alone sorting papers, and he sexually assaults her. Amina becomes withdrawn, struggles in school, and distances herself from her best friend and boyfriend. When Johnson is unexpectedly arrested at church, Amina realizes she isn't the only one he has hurt. She digs deep to find her voice, while the only time her father breaks his silence is to speak over her. This stunning debut novel in verse unearths Amina's entangled emotions of self-blame and RAGE via poetry in free verse, concrete, contrapuntal, and other forms. Texts, police interview transcripts, and news media are also interjected, enlightening readers in a fast-paced style to events unfolding before and after that devastating evening. Sawyerr navigates this painful topic with grace and sensitivity, with the assault itself taking place off-page. She focuses on Amina's individual journey and acknowledges there are different pathways to healing from trauma. The complex relationship between father and daughter also evolves along the way. VERDICT Achingly profound and inspiring; a must for all collections.—Lisa Krok

School Library Journal

★ 2023-07-13
This page-turning novel in verse shows a 16-year-old Baltimore girl’s resilience after surviving a sexual assault by a powerful church leader.

Amina Conteh’s father credits her late mother, “a woman who knew her / rage was as powerful as her love,” for her fighting spirit, something he doesn’t always approve of. After Amina gets in trouble at school for standing up to a disrespectful classmate, he decides she’ll help out at church as punishment, which ultimately leads to Pastor Johnson’s raping her. Amina has an emotionally and physically fulfilling relationship with Deon, the pastor’s adored nephew. He and her best friend, Talia, a queer, fashion-conscious Dominican girl, provide relief from her strained relationship with her strict, highly religious father. But as she endures the aftermath of her trauma, Amina, the daughter of immigrants from Sierra Leone, finds that her relationships and confidence suffer. Interspersed throughout the stunning verse are journal entries, text messages, police interview transcripts, and news articles that highlight various people’s perspectives, intricately building suspense when the news breaks of another victim of Pastor Johnson. The expectations for women at Amina’s church are oppressive and sexist, though the Black church community provided Amina’s parents with comfort, adding complexity as she wrestles with whether to speak out. Amina’s emotional growth and experiences in therapy feel authentic, leading to a satisfying ending that is properly earned.

An unforgettable story of healing told through phenomenal poetry. (author’s note, resources) (Verse fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews