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Book Reviewed by:Fans of Netflix's On My Block and readers of Elizabeth Acevedo and Angie Thomas will love this debut novel about a girl whose life is turned upside down after one local act of vandalism throws both her relationships and neighborhood into turmoil.
Chinelo, or Nelo as her best friend Kate calls her, is all about her neighborhood Ginger East. She loves its chill vibe, ride-or-die sense of community, and the memories she has growing up there with her friends. Ginger East isn't what it used to be though. After a deadly incident at the local arcade, most of her friends' families moved away. Kate, whose family owns the local corner store, is still there and as long as that stays constant, Nelo's good.
When Kate's parent's store is vandalized and the vandal still at large, Nelo is shaken to her core. And then the police and the media get involved and more of the outside world descends upon Ginger East with promises to "fix the neighborhood." Suddenly, Nelo finds herself in the middle of a drama unfolding on a national scale.
Worse yet, Kate is acting strange. She's pushing Nelo away at the exact moment they need each other most. Now Nelo's entire world is morphing into something she hates and she must figure out how to get things back on track or risk losing everything--and everyone--she loves.
Despite her fun and at times comedic approach, the author does not shy away from hard-hitting topics. At the forefront of the story is the focus on gentrification, population displacement and the economy, alongside racism and policing in North America. In the current political climate that we find ourselves in, books like these are more vital than ever for engaging young people in subjects that matter. However, at its heart, Onomé's novel is about change – not just the change in Nelo's neighborhood, but the change in her friendships, in her body, in her private life and, perhaps most importantly, in how she connects with her community...continued
Full Review
(608 words)
(Reviewed by Althea Draper).
In Like Home by Louisa Onomé, Nelo fights the forces of gentrification and change in the neighborhood that she loves so dearly. Gentrification has become an increasingly popular topic in recent young adult novels, and there are now a variety of titles offering different points of view on the subject.
This Side of Home by Renée Watson follows identical twins, Nikki and Maya, who have grown up sharing the same ideals, whether regarding boys, their family life or the historically Black college they are excited to get into. However, things begin to change when their neighborhood starts acquiring brand-spanking-new businesses and being considered an up-and-coming area. Nikki looks forward to seeing what this change will bring, but...
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Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, author of Ace of Spades
A phenomenal coming-of-age story that centers on Black girlhood, the not-so-subtle violence of gentrification, and friendship. Louisa Onomé presents us with a compelling and beautifully written tale about love and loss.
