This is a moving story of a mother’s eternal love, unbroken even by death, and the legacy such a love can bestow on others. Unbeknownst to Imari, his mother arranged for a new white family in the neighborhood, the Antenellis—whose daughter, Andrea, becomes a fast friend for Imari—to be his guardians after her death, a decision that comes with timely protection for Imari. When a neighborhood bully, Bruce, mercilessly torments Imari, Imari decides to take matters into his own hands, launching the two boys on a near-death collision course that’s stopped at the last minute by Andrea’s father, Andrew. Meanwhile, George descends further into destruction, eventually signing over his parental rights to allow the Antenellis to adopt Imari, conceding that Imari has “a right to get some joy in his life.”
From there, Riley paints Imari into a world of new beginnings, with the Antenellis’ care and concern allowing him to start over and later return to his hometown, as an adult, with his own family. Readers will be transfixed as Imari carries his young son Jack down the very same paths he walked with his mother, bringing the “magic and wonder” of her love full circle.
Takeaway: Transfixing story that illuminates the power of a mother’s love.
Comparable Titles: Rumaan Alam’s That Kind of Mother, Claire Lombardo’s Same As It Ever Was.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
