cover image Monday’s Not Coming

Monday’s Not Coming

Tiffany D. Jackson. HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99 (448p) ISBN 978-0-06-242267-5

Jackson’s sophomore novel, following 2017’s acclaimed Allegedly, features another ripped-from-the-headlines premise that will keep readers guessing through the final pages. After a summer in Georgia with her grandmother, Claudia returns to Washington, D.C., ready to take on eighth grade with her best friend, Monday, even though Monday didn’t respond to any of Claudia’s letters over the past two months. Claudia soon finds, though, that Monday is gone. Stories about where she is don’t add up and no one seems concerned, but Claudia can’t shake the feeling that Monday might be in real trouble. Time shifts—in chapters such as “Before the Before,” “The Before,” and “The After”—create a measured and intense buildup as Claudia realizes that Monday was keeping painful and potentially dangerous secrets. Claudia’s mother’s frequent reminder to check in at home—“Breadcrumbs, Claudia. Always good to leave breadcrumbs”—prompts both Claudia and the reader to remain vigilant. Jackson’s characters and their heart-wrenching story linger long after the final page, urging readers to advocate for those who are disenfranchised and forgotten by society and the system. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary Agency. (June) [/em]