Kirjahaku

The unforgettable story of a Black woman who creates her own chosen family after tragedy, in a "warm and wise" tale (Observer UK) of the enduring power of a mother's love. When Paulette arrived on English shores as a young girl, she left behind a grandmother in St. Kitts who called her "Sweet Pea," taught her to cook, and admonished her to avoid temptation and embrace love and forgiveness, in that order. Now Paulette is twenty-nine and in love with Denton, who she hopes to start a family and have lots of children with. But then Denton is killed in a car accident, and Paulette is left to grieve, as Denton's friend Garfield finds his way into her bed. Soon their son is born, Bird, and Paulette decides to give Bird the best of everything, even as she lets Garfield go. Then, in a twist of fate, she meets the man who was behind the wheel of the car that killed Denton, and the grandson who he is having trouble caring for, a young boy the same age as Bird. Despite her grief and anger, Paulette takes the boy under her wing, and soon she is cooking him meals, making sure his clothes are clean, and letting him call her Sweet Pea. As the years go by, Paulette begins to understand the value of forgiveness, and most of all, love, and how much allowing it to guide her life has provided the strength she needed. Beautiful and profound, Sweet Pea is a tender and emotionally-compelling novel about the healing power of one woman's love and care for her found family.

Even as COVID-19 made a seismic impact across the world, the cracks exposed by Brexit, Black Lives Matter and rising levels of race hate crimes revealed bitter divisions in British society. In the aftermath of the pandemic, and with questions over the breakup of the United Kingdom refusing to dissipate, how do people across Britain choose to navigate the tensions in this divided land? With a foreword by Kit de Waal, This Separated Isle explores how concepts of ‘Britishness’ reveal an inclusive range of opinions and understandings about our national character. Featuring a diverse range of fascinating photographic portraits of people from across the UK and their accompanying narrative stories, this landmark book examines the relationship between identity and nationhood, revealing not only what divides us, but also the ties that bind us together as a nation.

"Taut, emotionally intense, and wholly believable, this beautiful and uplifting debut" (Kirkus Reviews) about a young black boy's quest to reunite with his beloved white half-brother after they are separated in foster care is a sparkling novel perfect for fans of The Language of Flowers. Leon loves chocolate bars, Saturday morning cartoons, and his beautiful, golden-haired baby brother. When Jake is born, Leon pokes his head in the crib and says, "I'm your brother. Big brother. My. Name. Is. Leon. I am eight and three quarters. I am a boy." Jake will play with no one but Leon, and Leon is determined to save him from any pain and earn that sparkling baby laugh every chance he can. But Leon isn't in control of this world where adults say one thing and mean another. When their mother falls victim to her inner demons, strangers suddenly take Jake away; after all, a white baby is easy to adopt, while a half-black, nine-year-old faces a less certain fate. Vowing to get Jake back by any means necessary, Leon's own journey will carry him through the lives of a doting but ailing foster mother, Maureen; Maureen's cranky and hilarious sister, Sylvia; a social worker Leon knows only as "The Zebra"; and a colorful community of local gardeners and West Indian political activists. Told through the perspective of young Leon, too innocent to entirely understand what has happened to him and baby Jake, but determined to do what he can to make things right. In the end, this is an uplifting story about the power of love, the unbreakable bond between brothers, and the truth about what ultimately makes a family. My Name Is Leon will capture your imagination and steal your heart with its "moving exploration of race and the foster-care system that offers precious insight into the mind of a child forced to grow up well before his time" (Booklist).