{"product_id":"bright-red-fruit-isbn-9780593381212","title":"Bright Red Fruit","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn unflinching, honest novel in verse about a teenager's journey into the slam poetry scene and the dangerous new relationship that could threaten all her dreams. From the award-winning poet and author of HOME IS NOT A COUNTRY.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA MICHAEL L. PRINTZ HONOR BOOK • A CALIBA GOLDEN POPPY AWARD FINALIST • A \u003ci\u003ePUBLISHERS WEEKLY\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST \u003c\/i\u003eAND\u003ci\u003e KIRKUS REVIEWS \u003c\/i\u003eBEST BOOK OF THE YEAR\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBad girl.\u003c\/i\u003e No matter how hard Samira tries, she can’t shake her reputation. She’s never gotten the benefit of the doubt—not from her mother or the aunties who watch her like a hawk.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSamira is determined to have a perfect summer filled with fun parties, exploring DC, and growing as a poet—until a scandalous rumor has her grounded and unable to leave her house. When Samira turns to a poetry forum for solace, she catches the eye of an older, charismatic poet named Horus. For the first time, Samira feels wanted. But soon she’s keeping a bigger secret than ever before—one that that could prove her reputation and jeopardize her place in her community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this gripping coming-of-age novel from the critically acclaimed author Safia Elhillo, a young woman searches to find the balance between honoring her family, her artistry, and her authentic self.★ \"\u003cb\u003eA stunning work \u003c\/b\u003ethat deeply explores poetry, the complexities of identity, and the longing for love.\"—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"\u003cb\u003eA mesmerizing verse novel\u003c\/b\u003e and a gripping exploration of the hyper-policing of Black girls’ bodies and sexuality.\"—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly,\u003c\/i\u003e starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"\u003cb\u003eElhillo has created more than a cautionary tale\u003c\/b\u003e. Much like the tale of Persephone’s abduction, she has crafted a story that contains misery, but at its very core, harbors hope.\" —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Elhillo creates \u003cb\u003ea realistic picture of a teenage girl trying to push against unfair perceptions\u003c\/b\u003e. Readers will appreciate the believable portrayal of a teen who is dealing with complex issues of family, friendship, and romantic love.\" —\u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Told through emails, letters, and poetry in its many forms, \u003cb\u003eSamira’s story becomes one to remember\u003c\/b\u003e.\" —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eAn achingly gorgeous novel in verse\u003c\/b\u003e that explodes with emotion and heart.\"—Kim Johnson, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThis is My America\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eInvisible Son\u003c\/i\u003e.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eCrackles with energy\u003c\/b\u003e...In a word, gorgeous.\"—Samira Ahmed, New York Times bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eInternment \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eHollow Fires.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eSafia Elhillo is the author of the Printz Honor Book \u003ci\u003eBright Red Fruit\u003c\/i\u003e, which  was also a CALIBA Golden Poppy Award finalist and a Kirkus Prize finalist, and was named one of the best books of the year by \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, and the New York Public Library. Her debut YA novel-in-verse,\u003ci\u003e Home Is Not a Country,\u003c\/i\u003e was longlisted for the National Book Award and received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor and an Arab American Book Award. Sudanese by way of Washington, DC, Safia is a Pushcart Prize nominee, co-winner of the 2015 Brunel International African Poetry Prize, and listed in Forbes Africa’s 2018 “30 Under 30.” She lives in Los Angeles.1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the tale of Persephone\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhich should be read\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eas an argument between the mother and the lover—­\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe daughter is just meat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—­Louise Glück, “Persephone the Wanderer”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhy did i do it?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhy did i lie?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eeveryone wants me to blame religion, my mother, the country in flames behind us, but i was not an unhappy child. we danced and colored and folded little paper boats to float in the bathtub. we tried our best and locked the doors and installed sensors in the windows. if i am to blame, it is only because i was forever curious, forever climbing onto the sill to peer out the locked window at the lives continuing outside. i was not unhappy, only restless. only hungry to know what we were trying to keep out. it was i who opened the doors, the windows. it was i who let him into the house.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBAD GIRL\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eall the aunties in the neighborhood love\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eto remember that i was a sweet kid\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003elaughing \u0026amp; dimpled \u0026amp; affectionate\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; these reveries always end with a sigh\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eas they look at me now, sixteen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; what they call, sorrowfully, boy ­crazy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebut ever since i was small i’ve wanted\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eto be loved\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewhen it was the aunties i’d reach for\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eto be embraced, to be kissed, it was fine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebut ever since i was small i would lock eyes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewith boys on passing buses, in passing cars\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; wonder if i could make them love me\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethough all my life, mama has taken great care\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eto make sure i never find out\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMY NAME\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eit all started when a boy whose name i wish i did not remember\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehe \u0026amp; his family long since returned to sudan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003etold a lie that begat another that begat several more\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; in the eye of that storm hissed my name\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003esamira\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe littlest exaggeration, intended, i’m sure, to be harmless\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eto get his friends to stop laughing at his inexperience\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ehis chest puffed out, an untruth forming between his teeth\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe insistence that he had, that he does. with who? they mocked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003esamira\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ewe liked each other, passed notes back \u0026amp; forth\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eat sunday arabic school, glanced shyly over at each other\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eat eid gatherings, our hands brushing once at an iftar buffet\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ebut nothing more. we barely spoke. never touched. but still\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003esamira\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; now he’s long gone, years since the story took root\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; poisoned my name, so long ago that people barely remember\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe lie itself, the story, only the feeling they get when they look\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eat me, the disgust, the reproach, embarrassment on behalf\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eof my mother, \u0026amp; also something darker, something gleeful\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; carnivorous, sinking into my name, my reputation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u0026amp; drawing blood, teeth wet \u0026amp; red \u0026amp; shining\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003esamira","brand":"Make Me a World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300872802533,"sku":"NP9780593381212","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593381212.jpg?v=1767723080","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/bright-red-fruit-isbn-9780593381212","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}