Charlene Allen

"A richly drawn story that explores the precarious construction of identity and the pain of complex family dynamics." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Author Charlene Allen blends mystery, romance, and friendship in this contemporary YA novel perfect for fans of We Deserve Monuments and Far from the Tree.The way Clae’s mom tells it, her dad took off when Clae was a baby, end of story. Ever since, it’s just been the two of them, living in the coastal city of Gloucester, where Clae is one of the only few Black girls. But when Clae discovers clues about a mysterious person she calls her fairy god somebody, she’s determined to know more.Her chance comes when she’s accepted into a summer journalism program in New York City, where her parents lived before she was born. With a couple of leads and a steel resolve, Clae leaves home for the first time to find out about her history.New York is as full of magic as it is mystery, not to mention romance. From Brooklyn to Broadway, Clae and her new friends, Nze and Joelle, explore neighborhood haunts and hustles, discovering a family trail that someone’s tried hard to bury. So who is the fairy god somebody? And can Clae use her sleuthing skills to find out the truth?Set against one unforgettable NYC summer, this is the story of lies that run deep and patterns that are meant to be broken. Clae, Nze, and Joelle will stick with you and remind you that every girl deserves to write her own story. Praise for My Fairy God Somebody"An engaging story for readers who want to see characters find themselves (and then some) amid complex families and real-life challenges. Suggest to readers who enjoyed Robin Benway’s Far from the Tree (2017) and other relationship-driven YA dramedies" —ALA BooklistA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection pick!

From debut author Charlene Allen comes a captivating YA contemporary mystery and coming-of-age story, celebrating the power of friendship, first love, and exploring the criminal justice system from the lens of restorative justice. Perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, and Maureen Johnson.In the game of life, sometimes other people hold all the controls. Or so it seems to VZ. Four months have passed since his best friend Ed was killed by a white man in a Brooklyn parking lot.When Singer, the man who killed Ed, is found dead in the same spot where Ed was murdered, all signs point to Jack, VZ’s other best friend, as the prime suspect.VZ’s determined to complete the video game Ed never finished and figure out who actually killed Singer. With help from Diamond, the girl he’s crushing on at work, VZ falls into Ed’s quirky gameiverse. As the police close in on Jack, the game starts to uncover details that could lead to the truth about the murder.Can VZ honor Ed and help Jack before it’s too late?

You want God to use you for His purposes, but your character is questionable. What does the Bible say about character and is your character important? This book was written to inspire those in prison ministries or church ministry the importance of character in ministry.