The Revolution of Birdie Randolph

Starred review from June 3, 2019
Stonewall Award–winner Colbert (Little & Lion) does not disappoint with this coming-of-age story of a young black woman from Chicago. Dove “Birdie” Randolph, 16, is a model teen, until her mother’s sister, who has been in and out of rehab, arrives for a stay. Struggling with a need for autonomy and frustrated with her controlling mother, Birdie samples her first alcoholic beverage and hides the existence of her new boyfriend, sweet ex-juvie inmate Booker, for whom she’s fallen fast. Birdie forges a close relationship with her aunt while concealing her behavior from her mom, but when Birdie’s decisions catch up to her, revealing a hidden truth about her parents, Birdie’s world and newfound agency crumble. Despite occasionally predictable plotting, Colbert creates a unique cast of well-developed characters navigating responsibility, grief, racial profiling, and addiction. Providing a great deal of entertainment as Birdie’s inexperience lands her in awkward situations, this thrilling tale of first love explores what it means to be held to an impossible standard and still learn to live an authentic life. Ages 12–up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM Partners.

June 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-Sixteen-year-old Dove "Birdie" Randolph faces challenges during the summer before her junior year of high school. She is expected to spend the summer taking SAT prep classes and helping at her mom's beauty salon, but what she really wants to do is spend time with Booker. Unfortunately, because Booker has been in trouble with the law, Birdie knows her strict parents won't approve of the relationship, so she sees him behind their backs. In the meantime, her aunt Carlene comes to live with the Randolph family after completing rehab. The troubled relationship between Carlene and Birdie's mother adds a layer of complexity to Birdie's summer plans; Carlene also provides Birdie with an ally to figure out how to convince her parents that Booker has dealt with his legal issues and is on the right path. In the midst of all this, a long-kept family secret surfaces and Birdie has to redefine the way she sees her family. This is a lovely portrait of a close-knit urban African American family that offers insight into the push from within for black excellence. In addition, it portrays a family struggling with addiction and helps illustrate what recovery can look like. Also, big cheers for a darker-skinned African American teen on the cover. VERDICT A great addition to teen collections everywhere. Give to readers hungry for The Hate U Give read-alikes.-Kristin Lee Anderson, Jackson County Library Services, OR

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2019
Dove "Birdie" Randolph is a 16-year-old black girl working to figure out family, love, and what she really wants in life. The Chicago high school sophomore lives with her mother and father in their apartment above her mother's hair salon; her sister, Mimi, is away at college. Dove's parents have her on a strict academic schedule, and Dove faces a summer constrained by rules with little room for socializing except with her best friend, Lazarus "Laz" Ramos. Recently Dove began sneaking out to see Booker Stratton, a boy she's grown to really like but who has a past her parents would not approve of. Into this setting comes her Aunt Carlene, her mom's sister, who has been rarely seen and even less frequently spoken about. Carlene, an addict who has spent much of her life in and out of rehab, moves in with Dove and her parents, bringing tension into the family, although Dove soon develops a warm connection with her. The exposure of a family secret threatens to derail the tenuous balance. Colbert (Finding Yvonne, 2018, etc.) pens an emotionally gripping tale about family and young love and how they can be your entire world while still being worlds apart. The treatment of topics such as the impact of addiction, racial profiling and discrimination, and sexuality (Mimi and Laz are queer) is skillful and will resonate. Moving and memorable. (Fiction. 13-adult)

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Starred review from May 15, 2019
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Colbert (Finding Yvonne, 2018) delivers another poignant coming-of-age tale in her newest novel, which will resonate with teens struggling to balance their own desires with parental expectations. Birdie is successful at being the perfect daughter, making honor roll and staying out of trouble, until Booker blows into her life. She keeps their whirlwind romance a secret because she knows her strict parents would never accept her dating him. When Birdie's aunt, who struggles with addiction, returns to town, Birdie's life is further complicated. As Birdie grows closer to Booker and her aunt, she has to make decisions about the type of person she wants to be, who she wants to live for, and whose happiness is important. In the midst of this, a huge family secret is exposed that rocks the foundation of Birdie's life. Colbert's latest novel brilliantly delves into first loves, forbidden romance, rebellion, and family expectations?all of which teens will strongly relate to. Heavier topics like addiction, trauma, and the ills of juvenile justice system for teens of color are also explored in a refreshingly nuanced way that is handled with intelligence and care. With these topics, Colbert shows that there are two sides to every story and that the people enmeshed in these situations are often victims who need support rather than recrimination. Empowering and empathetic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2019
African American sixteen-year-old Dove ("Birdie") is on the "right" track, with good grades and a clear life plan chosen by her parents. When Birdie's fresh-from-rehab aunt Carlene arrives, Birdie begins to rebel, including by dating Booker, a kindhearted boy with a difficult past. Vivid dialogue and rich descriptions of the Chicago setting serve the story well. Birdie's believable first-person perspective reflects a protagonist who evolves to trust her own instincts.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2019
African American sixteen-year-old Dove Randolph, Birdie to her family, is on the right track, with good grades and a clear plan for her life after high school. The plan, chosen by her parents, means she has to give up playing soccer and is only allowed to date appropriate boys. When Birdie's aunt, Carlene, arrives on the doorstep of the Randolph family's hair salon, fresh from a stint in rehab, Birdie begins to push against the life that has been laid out for her. This rebellion includes dating Booker, a kind-hearted boy with a difficult past. Birdie knows her parents wouldn't approve of Booker, so she keeps him away from them?and they don't seem to approve of Carlene either, as they refuse to let go of her past mistakes and try to keep long-held family secrets from being revealed. Vivid dialogue and rich descriptions of the Chicago setting serve the story well. Birdie's believable first-person perspective reflects a protagonist who evolves throughout the narrative to trust her own instincts. Colbert's depictions of Birdie's friends and family represent varied perspectives without passing judgment on those perspectives. As the family's secrets are revealed, the story raises nuanced questions about how much we are shaped by our parents and how much by our own choices, just as Birdie is taking steps to craft her own ideas about her future. christina l. dobbs

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)