Reviews

The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley

mdettmann's review against another edition

4.0

A fun MG-mystery about three kids trying to save their Harlem neighborhood from being developed into an amusement park about Harlem (I know, right?!) while also solving a mystery involving art and the history of Harlem.

It was a little slow at times. Lots of stuff being told to the kids throughout as they unravel the mystery and sometimes the POV would change and I wouldn’t realize it. Overall I still thought it was a fun read.

sanagsam's review against another edition

hopeful medium-paced

lauravm's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

In a box of YA books that I’m passing along to a classroom, this one caught my eye and I’m glad it did. It’s a refreshing look at the history and issues facing ever-changing  and iconic Harlem through the eyes of teens navigating their own journeys. 

hilary_v's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.0

theshenners's review against another edition

5.0

3 compelling kids of color as MCs, a fun and thrilling mystery/adventure, a tribute to Black art and culture, and an accessible take on timely issues like gentrification. A++😊

lovegirl30's review against another edition

4.0

review to come

abbylane8's review against another edition

5.0

This was a great mystery with twists and turns along the way.

nightswim78's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

What a sweet read. I thought that it brought up important topics like gentrification and movement building while also focusing on the main theme: the importance of community.

melbsreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Trigger warnings: hospitalisation of a grandparent, parent with cancer, gentrification, child abandonment (in the past), classism, gun violence, murder (in the past)

This is essentially a love letter to Harlem and the sense of community that goes along with it, and the different ways in which community can show itself. The three protagonists are all from very different backgrounds - Jin lives with her grandparents who run a bodega, Alex is rich but determined to use her wealth for good, and Elvin is living with his grandfather while his mother undergoes cancer treatment in California - and the dynamic between them worked well. 

The mystery side of things could have been a liiiiittle faster paced for my liking, but I enjoyed that they actually had to go off and do research and learn about their neighbourhood and the threat of gentrification (in this case, through a Harlem themed amusement park) in order to work out what to do next in regards to solving the mystery. 

A lovely mix of Harlem's history and its present, and one I thoroughly enjoyed. 

lazygal's review against another edition

3.0

Another book about finding/reclaiming heritage (will this be a trend? hmmm...). Under the guise of the ever-popular class project, Jin teams up with the odd-girl Alex to learn more about Harlem. Turns out, there's a mystery or two around: who attacked Elvin's grandfather? what happened to the paintings that Henrietta created as part of the Invisible 7 collective? While at times there was a little too much info-dumping and a level of implausibility regarding how Jin, Alex, Elvin and Rose are allowed to just roam around, the sense of place and history will perhaps encourage readers to learn more about their neighborhoods and history.

ARC provided by publisher.