When You Look Like Us

After their father died of cancer and their mother was sent to prison for driving under the influence, Jay Murphy and his sister, Nic, who is older by a year, were sent to live with their grandmother in the Ducts, a public housing complex in Newport News, Va. Now 16, Jay juggles the stresses of high school, the odd jobs he’s working to secretly save up for his grandmother’s retirement, and being Nic’s keeper. After years of covering for Nic whenever she’s high on bliss, a drug she receives from her neighborhood drug dealer boyfriend, Jay decides he is done worrying about Nic and trying to get her back on the right path. His resolve, though, breaks down when Nic disappears and the police dismiss his concern, considering Nic just another missing Black girl in their county and a “blisshead” besides. Harris unapologetically gives voice to the grief that a community can feel when the law fails them, as well as their need to, instead, rely on the hope, love, and power they bring to one another. The strength and endurance of the Black family reverberate throughout this achingly honest debut. Ages 14–up. [em](Jan.) [/em]