2019 • 165 pages
Ratings33
Average rating4.3
15
Ratings33
Average rating4.3
How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?She stumbled backwards, her eyes wide, as the figure started coming out of the canvas...She tried to be brave. Well, she said, her hands only a little shaky, at least tell me what I should call you....Well, little girl, it replied, I suppose you can call me Pet. There are no more monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. With doting parents and a best friend named Redemption, Jam has grown up with this lesson all her life. But when she meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colours and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth.In their riveting and timely young adult debut, acclaimed novelist Akwaeke Emezi asks difficult questions about what choices a young person can make when the adults around them are in denial.
Series
1 primary book2 released booksPet is a 2-book series with 1 primary work first released in 2019 with contributions by Akwaeke Emezi.
Reviews with the most likes.
Black, trans girl lead who is selectively verbal and uses sign language frequently. Jam's best friend has three parents (they are in a polyamorous relationship and one of the parents uses they/them pronouns). And the Entirely black cast. I enjoyed the writing so much and the magical realism aspects.
really enjoyed this! the commentary was obviously spectacular as well as the representation. i enjoyed the writing so much and the magical realism aspects. at some points, i felt slightly confused because of lack of explanation which normally doesn't bother me but since this is a middle grade, i feel like if i'm confused then kids definitely will be.
Whew. No surprise but this is a stunner staight out of the gate for Christopher Myers' new imprint, Make Me a World. His introduction alone will give teens & teachers ideas to chew on and discuss. Though a short book, I read this so slowly because it was beautifully written (the kennings they created, the impact and heft of their word choices) and emotional and powerful and I wanted to savor it. They created a world after social justice movements like BLM have been successful, but the adults have become complacent in their safety, so it takes teens to see through the lens of magical realism and confront the monster in their midst to force their community to remember their shared promises to one another. I can't wait to share this with teachers and students, as this would be an ideal book to discuss and analyze together.
