Snitchers

Still grieving the death of her father, 14-year-old Nia Barnes, who lives in the predominantly Black small town of Train, Ind., spends her time babysitting inquisitive five-year-old Little Petey, going to church with her grandmother, or listening to gossipy Ms. Torrence recount disheartening tales of gun violence and the whippings she received as a child. Nia is running late for babysitting duty when Little Petey dies in a drive-by shooting. While the community mourns, Nia and her best friends resolve to find out who is behind his death. She uses the skills she picked up from her beloved Nancy Drew novels to gather clues, but as tensions in Train rise, she worries about being labeled a snitch (“Snitching is like when you part of the crime, and you tell to cut a deal for yourself. That’s not what this is,” Nia rationalizes to her worried friends), and the potentially harmful consequences that uncovering the truth could incur. Nia’s letters to her Palestinian pen pal, Alima, feature throughout, providing insight as she processes her guilt over Little Petey’s death. Debut author Dunn’s occasionally flat narrative voice tempers what is otherwise an adept look into contemporary social issues such as gun and intracommunal violence. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)

Update: The text of this review has been adjusted for clarity.