Review: The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

978-059-356-8575 (PB)

Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.

Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it’s her legacy—her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.

No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova’s best friend. Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova’s crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won’t face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova—and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess’s father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.

Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt. And to do that, she’ll have to get close to her.

But Tinsley has an agenda, too.

Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.

Emill's debut YA novel catches the reader's attention and leaves them wanting to know what he has coming out next (answer: Wander in the Dark, out last month). The story line pulls you in and keeps your attention throughout. Going beyond the murder mystery thriller genre, it covers everything from racial bias and white savior syndrome to child sexual abuse to wealth/power disparity to teen pregnancy. Sound like a lot? It can be, at times. There is a lot going on, but then, there IS a lot going on in many teens' lives. 

The many twists and turns keep the reader guessing, but leave little time to really flesh out many of the characters. Told in Duchess and Tinsley's alternating viewpoints, at the beginning I had to check the chapter headings to make sure I knew who was talking. Creating distinct narrative voices is difficult for any author, and writing from the POV of a different gender (all characters appear to be cisgender) can make it more difficult. By the end of the book, I had a strong sense of who Duchess is, but Tinsley still felt a bit one-dimensional, as did most of the secondary characters. I actually felt like I knew Nova better than anyone. I haven't found anything stating it definitively, but it looks like Emill's next book is also told in two viewpoints - half brothers - so I am looking forward to seeing how he hones this skill. 

Current slang (no cap, booed up, lit) along with the secondary topics make it extremely relevant...right now. Three years from now, I can see teens picking it up and asking, "Who says 'no cap' any more"?? The story line and subthemes will continue to make it a great read, but the author might want to reconsider vocabulary that will make it feel outdated down the line.

My nitpicking aside, I found it a very enjoyable read, and immediately recommended it to coworkers. I will be ordering Wander in the Dark for the library, and The Black Queen will most likely make it into a few displays. I predict this will be an author to keep an eye on!

Toddler STEAM: Red, White and Pink

Valentine's Day is over, but the color scheme works so well for a lot of things - and I have been too lazy to take the decorations out to the shed. So, red, white and ink STEAM it is! Fortunately, just about any STEAM project can be made to fit a color scheme! 

Our messiest centers are always next to the sink. We now have these handy-dandy tablecloths to make clean-up easier, too! I put them on our Amazon wish list a while back, and two patrons have each purchased one so far. This one just arrived yesterday, in perfect timing! You can find there at this link (I am not an affiliate and do not get anything if you buy one!)

Fizzing Hearts

Good old baking soda and vinegar takes an artistic turn when you add liquid watercolors. I prefer liquid watercolors to food coloring, because it is less likely to stain, but I use both. Not pictured: old adult-sized t-shirts to slip on over kids' clothes first.

Of course, while this young lady was very precise, many kids just poured on the liquid. No big deal to dump the trays, but that created a traffic jam at the sink. 

Next time I will put out a dump bucket and rags to dry with in the other direction.

Sweetheart Slime

Slime is always a hit! I add red food coloring to the water from the start, for less mess (if there is such a thing as less mess when it comes to making slime).

The table didn't stay that clean for long! Neither did the chairs. Or the floor...

I usually mix up some Borax and water in a cup for the stubborn ones that just won't gel, and keep it out of kids' reach. A little drop of that, and everything starts setting up nicely!

We Love Bubbles

Every time we use bubbles I see this guy from Finding Nemo:

Even before Covid, I made sure everyone had their own straw, because: ew. 

You might station a trash can nearby just to make sure they don't get picked up and reused.

MY BUBBLES!

Rolling Along

You did remember to save all those tubes from your wrapping paper, right?

Of course any sort of ball works, but I had these pearls for some as-yet-undetermined-purpose and thought they were just special enough to go with Valentine's Day.

I Ran Out of Cute Names Balance Center

Anything with candy is going to be a hit! For this one you just need two kind that have different weights. Of course, you'll want to watch what goes into mouths - anything with tiny pieces I make sure to put on tables, so it isn't automatically in baby reach.

Does having the same number (ooh, counting practice!) on each side balance it out? Why do you think that is? How many red hots do you need to balance out one hard candy? (ratios and fractions at 3 years old!)

Tower Time

Simplest center ever. We use these tiny cups throughout the year to hold small craft items like sequins or googly eyes. Great investment.

I Suppose I Could at Least Have Called it Pretty Patterns or Something

Pony beads are always a hit (parents seem to like to play here, too!) They do go everywhere, which means keeping an eye out and scooping them up before the crawlers do.

Many kids just liked stacking them on the skewers, which was fine - still getting that fine motor practice in!

Sweetheart Sort

Again, very simple center, just grab everything red, white or pink you see in your craft stash. Sorting and classifying are huge in both math and science, and there are so many ways to build vocabulary here!

We had a lot of fun, and those tablecloths really helped with clean-up! What are your favorite crafts or activities to do with Valentine's Day?