The Upper World

Esso Adenon, 16, is just trying to survive high school in South London, stay out of the Peckham and Brixton gang war, keep his Bénin-born mother stress-free, and find the courage to confess his feelings to his crush, Nadia. But life becomes more complicated when he’s involved in a car accident and time subsequently stops, allowing him to see what Socrates called the Upper World—a place where moments of the past and future collide. When Esso makes it back to the present, the scenes he witnessed begin occurring, and he works desperately to prevent one involving Nadia. Fifteen years in the future, Rhia Black is a high school footie player living in foster care who dreams of playing pro. But on the first day of her lesson with physics tutor Dr. Esso Adenon, Rhia, who is also Black, comes across a photo that connects him to her deceased mother. Exploring themes including fate, gang violence, and the ethics of time travel, debut author Fadugba uses physics theories to create an absorbing dual narrative with engaging voices. Ages 13–up. Agent: Claire Wilson, Rogers, Coleridge and White. (Dec.)