  | Radiant Author: Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
As school begins in 1963, Cooper Dale wrestles with what it means to "shine" for a black girl in a predominantly white community near Pittsburgh. Cooper's primary concern is navigating fifth grade, where she faces both an extra-strict teacher and the bullying of Wade Carter, the only child of a well-to-do white family, whose home Cooper's mother cleans for extra income.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 3.40 Points: 3.0 Quiz: 552658 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (11/01/24)
School Library Journal (+) (02/28/25)
Booklist (00/01/25)
The Hornbook (00/03/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 10/21/2024 Cooper Dale, who has brown skin ("My skin is brown/ but people say/ I’m black") and lives in a majority white community outside of Pittsburgh, is dreading her upcoming fifth grade year with no-nonsense teacher Mrs. Keating. Though Cooper’s family informs her that she must work twice as hard as her white peers, she struggles to understand why her skin color matters to those around her. Life-changing historical events-including the JFK assassination, the church bombing in Birmingham, and the increased presence of the KKK-add intensity to the narrative, which is rendered in introspective verse. Cooper’s older brother adopts Malcolm X’s attitudes, her father conveys life lessons via Langston Hughes’s poetry, and her mother, who does domestic labor for white families, encourages her to embrace Dr. King’s teachings. When Cooper’s mother is hired by her white school bully Wade’s family to help care for his terminally ill mother, she tries to impart her parents’ wisdom to befriend Wade; "he could benefit/ from a little kindness," Mrs. Keating entreats. Nelson (Small Shoes, Great Strides) presents an emotive glimpse into the civil rights era via Cooper’s careful internal monologue and nuanced characterization. Ages 10-14. (Jan.) - Copyright 2024
School Library Journal - 02/28/2025 Gr 4–7—It's 1963 near Pittsburgh, and for Cooper Dale, the only thing worse than being the only Black student in her fifth grade class is having to contend with both "the Queen of Darkness" (also known as Mrs. Keating) and relentless bully Wade Carter. Cooper's mother works for Wade's wealthy white family, adding complexity to the nature of his bullying and Cooper's attempts to succeed at school. She sometimes wishes things could be different; that she could just skip to the next grade or that she was a different person, with a different skin color. But wise words from her church and her father make her realize that everybody is dealing with something, and that fear can make people say and do hurtful things. Nelson deftly weaves in major events from the 1960s, such as President Kennedy's assassination, the Birmingham church bombing, and The Beatles playing on The Ed Sullivan Show, along with themes from The Wizard of Oz, into a story that reminds readers, "A star can't shine without a black night sky." VERDICT This gentle yet thought-provoking historical novel in verse is perfect for anyone who has wished to be somewhere or someone else.—Melinda Graham - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
