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jenanne83178's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this coming of age story. It’s about this little girl and her sister staying with her grandfather over the summer. So much happens in that one summer. I really loved these characters. Such a well written book. Absolutely loved it.
shadon's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
But the truth bout the little orange caterpillar crawling around the bottom of my jar is that he will have to give himself up completely before he can become something new.
A beautiful tragedy of Black girlhood, and a summer that changes everything. A summer that is equal parts adventure and devastation. Everything is so vivid and descriptive, etched in a dreamy childlike wonder that I was completely immersed. I was there beside them in Lansing, sweating in the heat, climbing trees, and catching caterpillars. And I was there in that old house with the antique furniture and fireflies in the night sky.
This was beautifully written with a heart-achingly realistic portrait of the lives of so many children, forced to cope with more than they can begin to comprehend. Following KB, Nia, and their complicated family devastated me more than I can explain. From the first chapter, I knew this would hurt me and I was entirely right. it's just a terrible rollercoaster of emotions as bad things continue to happen to KB and the reader can do nothing about it, except hope that it gets better. It was sadness and more sadness until it crescendoed to a point where I had to stop reading and take a break.
KB was a typical inquisitive, bold little girl who tried her hardest to make the best of what she had. Reading as she explored her new environment was a delight, and although she had a tendency to feel older than her eleven years, it always made sense. She experienced more than she should have, seen and heard things that have made her grow up a little quicker. I loved the conversations she had with her grandad and her mother, and the clever ways she tried to understand the world around her.
As the bad things continue to pile up, you just want to whisk her away to somewhere she can be safe and happy - a child again. Some of what happened to her and what she experienced had me close to pulling my hair out. And so much of it is never resolved. I know we don't see the rest of her life, but the sexual assault especially felt like it was brushed past too quickly. I suppose I can assume she told her mother eventually, but she only brings it up once after it happens and then it's presumably all okay. That was disappointing, especially as it doesn't feel like it adds anything much for her to be assaulted except adding trauma.
Or maybe it did happen, cause God needed me to know happy just one time, so I would really feel it when He took it away.
KB and Nia's relationship was the crux of this novel, and it continued to break my heart. Nia's indifference toward her sister was infuriating but still somehow understandable because she is still a child. And KB's hatred of Nia that stemmed from that attitude never failed to devastate me. They spend the whole novel at odds, and I was silently hoping, we got a happy ending and that they could make up. Because sisters are complicated, but a sister is always a sister. And they are both two hurting girls experiencing such a great change that they don't truly know how to process it without lashing out.
They broke my heart a million times. Every time they fought or screamed at each other, it felt so real that I felt like I was watching a bond sever forever. All of the families' relationships felt so real. The girls and their mother, the girls and their father and momma and grandaddy. I loved how much of the focus was on how parents can make mistakes and how they are just as flawed as anyone else.
Unfortunately, I thought the ending was a little unresolved. I'm glad it was happy and hopeful, but it still felt like it came too soon and rushed too fast. Nothing truly felt wrapped up or properly concluded. Suddenly everything was bad until it wasn't. Thankfully, it did not sour how beautiful and heartfelt his novel was.
clarkf87's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
5.0
Kai Harris wrote a beautiful coming-of-age story about a Black family of four in 1995 from the perspective of 11-year-old Kenyatta (aka KB). After her father dies, KB and her teenage sister Nia move in with their estranged grandfather after their mother disappears.
It is a heart-wrenching, beautifully written story about family, race, and overcoming obstacles when life begins to fall apart.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
micaelamariem's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What the Fireflies Knewby Kai Harris, published by Tiny Reparations Books, is a literary coming-of-age fiction set in 1995 Michigan. After ten-year-old narrator K.B.'s dad dies of a drug overdoes, she and her sister, Nia, are sent to spend the summer with their grandfather, with no knowledge of where their mom is going or if she's coming back. For K.B., the summer is about healing from the grief and hurt of a separated family, and possibly finding a way back to the family she does have.
I love that we read this story through the lens of a ten-year-old girl. I think the narration captures not only the hurt of the family, but through a special kind of innocence and confusion as she navigates darker topics. While there are many stories out there that delve into childhood trauma, I also think the important thing that Harris portrays--and that she seems very passionate about portraying--was the Black experience through this trauma. We see K.B. heal from hurt and grief but discover other dark things in the world such as racism and harmful sexual behaviors.
“It’s like I’m standing in a field full of fireflies, struggling to catch ’em all, when really, I just gotta slow down and catch one.”
There is strong character development throughout the story. The main character, K.B, learns the secrets of the family and must grow up over the summer, but also learns how people can move on from hurt. Her older sister learns much the same, and the relationship between the two, from distance and hate back to love, is a heartwarming one. In fact, that seems to be the main theme of the story--moving on from hurt and reaching out to those who love you, even when they make mistakes.
As most character driven novels, this book can--and did for me--elicit a strong emotional response. There are many times when my heart broke for this family and some times when my heart soared for K.B. I didn't physically cry--but I certainly came close.
My main critique of the book would be how quickly it ended. After a slow pace (fitting in a character driven novel), it seemed like the ending was rushed, as if the author had to quickly wrap it up. Since the novel didn't quite reach 300 pages, I do think Harris could have taken a little more time to reunite the family and bring everything to a close.
Despite this, I did very much like the novel. It was fresh, propelling, and most importantly, offered themes and lessons that are necessary: to know we are all flawed but must work through the flaws to forgive the hurt. I would ultimately give this book four stars on a five star scale system. I would recommend this to those who like character driven novels, coming of age novels, literary fiction, or those who loved Toni Morrison as she was an inspiration for this author and the book is reminiscent of Morrison's works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism
janel1994's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful coming of age story set in Lansing, Michigan. The story is about an eleven year old girl who lives with her Grandfather for the summer along with her older sister. The author has done such great job at capturing the voice of an adolescent girl. Highly recommend.
cherryghost15's review against another edition
3.0
Book Peeps pick 2023
Lovely story so far. But there are too many references to past lessons and stories in between almost every thought or occurrence in KB's present moments.
2.5 stars
There was sweetness in this tale of a girl lost in a world she doesn't understand since her daddy died and her mom drops her and her sister at her father's house.
I agree with the other reviewers who said the group of kids who would love this are middle school age.
Lovely story so far. But there are too many references to past lessons and stories in between almost every thought or occurrence in KB's present moments.
2.5 stars
There was sweetness in this tale of a girl lost in a world she doesn't understand since her daddy died and her mom drops her and her sister at her father's house.
I agree with the other reviewers who said the group of kids who would love this are middle school age.
mnmeg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A beautifully told story from the perspective of the youngest sister.