American Street

(Paperback)

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A National Book Award Finalist with five starred reviews and multiple awards!

ANew York TimesNotable Book *A Time Magazine Best YA Book Of All Time* Publishers WeeklyFlying Start *Publishers WeeklyBest Book of the Year* ALABooklistEditors' Choice of 2017 (Top of the List winner) *School Library JournalBest Book of the Year*KirkusBest Book of the Year * BookPage Best YA Book of the Year

An evocative and powerful coming-of-age story perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jason Reynolds

In this stunning debut novel, Pushcart-nominated author Ibi Zoboi draws on her own experience as a young Haitian immigrant, infusing this lyrical exploration of America with magical realism and vodou culture.

On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle viea good life.

But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiolas mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroits west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.

Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream

Reviews

Self-assured, elegant and utterly captivating. New York Times Mixing gritty street life with the tenderness of first love, Haitian Vodou, and family bonds, the book is at once chilling, evocative, and reaffirming. Publishers Weekly (starred review) Filling her pages with magic, humanity, tragedy, and hope, Zoboi builds up, takes apart, and then rebuilds an unforgettable story. This book will take root in readers hearts. Kirkus Reviews(starred review) Zoboi urges us to examine the American dream to see if there is room within it to hold the ones we love Ebony Magazine Zobois stunning debut intertwines mysticism and love with grit and violenceFierce and beautiful. Booklist (starred review) Will reach young readers regardless of their background. Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books (starred review) A breathtaking story about contemporary America that will serve as a mirror to some and a window for others, and it will stay with anyone who reads it. School Library Journal (starred review) A poignant meditation on one girls struggle to find her way in a new world. Nicola Yoon, bestselling author of EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING. Brimming with culture, magic, warmth, and unabashed rawness, American Street is ultimately a blistering tale of humanity. This is Manchild in the Promised Land, for a new generation, and a remarkable debut from Zoboi, who without question is an inevitable force in storytelling. Jason Reynolds, award-winning co-author of ALL AMERICAN BOYS Zobois nascent storytelling gifts ensnare from page one. To this spellbinding voice of the next generation, I bow. Rita Williams-Garcia, New York Times bestselling author and three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award Following in the footsteps of Edwidge Danticat, Zobois young adult debut is equal parts gritty and transcendent. The Horn Book A refreshing take on a common literary preoccupation, the American dream...fascinating and beautiful. Vox

Author Bio

Ibi Zoboi was born in Haiti, and holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing has been published in The New York Times Book Review, and The Rumpus, among others. She is the author of American Street, a US National Book Award finalist. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and three children. You can find her online at www.ibizoboi.net.