Salt the Water

August 15, 2023
A Bronx teen is compelled to explore a free, expressive life by any means necessary. In this novel in verse, Cerulean Gene, a nonbinary Black high school senior, is frustrated with school, especially with their inexperienced, highly problematic teacher. For Cerulean, Mr. Schlauss' apathy as an educator is a microcosm reflecting an inadequate educational system. Cerulean finds relief from repeated run-ins with their white teacher in a tightknit friend group that includes their partner, Zaria, and friends Irvin and Jai. The self-proclaimed "Bronx babies" save their money in hopes of funding a summer in California "to create some other kind of world / somewhere / that'd allow all of us to be ourselves." Cerulean's parents have built a vibrant and grounding home, encouraging them and their younger brother, Airyn, to become their full selves and to embrace self-preservation as needed: "my parents never / stopped living their lives / when they had us / they just moved things around / so that all of us could have whatever / we needed to keep becoming // ourselves." But when a life-changing event befalls the Gene family, Cerulean must determine how free they want to be. Through artful writing, 2020 National Book Award finalist Iloh builds an intriguing and relatable world led by a charming protagonist. The poems ease into one another, threading a refreshing story of honing one's voice, intuition, and independence. Daring, beautiful, and necessary. (Verse fiction. 13-18)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 4, 2023
Black nonbinary 17-year-old Cerulean Gene is fed up with the rigid rules and expectations of public high school (“i’m stuck in stiff-ass classrooms... staring down out-of-touch white men/ who don’t really care if i learn”). After a dispute with a teacher escalates, Cerulean drops out of school. Cerulean; their partner, Zaria; and friends Irvin and Jai—the self-named “Bronx babies,” all of whom are nonbinary—have been saving money to live a life off the grid, where they won’t be held to society’s expectations. Cerulean’s parents’ unwavering support buoys them along on their journey to becoming their most authentic self. But after a serious accident jeopardizes their family’s livelihood, Cerulean must decide if what they want out of life is still possible. Fluid verse by Iloh (Break This House) is driven by Cerulean’s refreshing and optimistic dreams of creating their own world (“last night i had a dream... in the dream i was in an open field surrounded/ by all these flowers”); their introspective first-person perspective, paired with an open-ended resolution, offers myriad avenues for rumination on personal autonomy and self-expression. Ages 14–up. Agent: Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary.

Starred review from September 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Author of the Printz Honor Book Every Body Looking (2020), Iloh delivers another electric novel in verse. In post-pandemic New York, 17-year-old Cerulean lives in the Bronx with their loving parents and little brother. Cerulean's senior year is marred by the presence of Mr. Schlauss, a cisgender, white, male teacher, whose lectures insult students and reveal how unequipped he is to teach in their overcrowded city school. Powerless to change the situation, Cerulean makes a pact with their girlfriend and friends to remain incognito at school so that they can all move away and chase their dreams after graduation. It's difficult to lay low, though, when Cerulean constantly compares the broken education system at their school to the Afrocentric curriculum of their brother's Montessori school. As the story progresses, an altercation with Mr. Schlauss upends plans, and a terrifying incident occurs at their baba's restaurant. Cerulean's emotions boil over as they chart their uncertain path toward adulthood, unable to tolerate a system that sets them up for failure. Iloh's free-verse poems--most narrated by Cerulean--pulsate with the protagonist's emotions as repeated encounters with racism and stereotypes intrude on their life. Cerulean's voice-y perspective is meaningfully rounded out by sections narrated by their friends and brother. A necessary reminder to young adults that there is no shame in standing up for yourself.

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Starred review from December 1, 2023

Gr 9 Up-Cerulean Gene lives in two worlds: at home where their parents have always nurtured and encouraged them, building a warm, accepting environment too open for them ever to fill, and at school where they're too loud, too smart, and too free to possibly fit into the small, rigid space. When the pandemic swelled and schools were closed, it seemed for a moment that the educational system might evolve, but soon the old paradigm asserted itself, and now Cerulean and their like-minded group of friends are stuck in a system that seems determined to make them small. Mr. Schlauss, a young and arrogant white teacher, is constantly watching and waiting for Cerulean to make even the slightest mistake. After a confrontation with Mr. Schlauss leaves Cerulean's future at school uncertain and a tragedy shatters their home, Cerulean must find a way forward in a world that is unwilling to expand. Iloh's lyrical words, impactful text formatting, and raw emotion imbue this story with authentic joy and pain. Although a sudden ending may leave readers with more questions than answers, this timely exploration of the many shortcomings of the U.S. public education system will be sure to generate much discussion among students and teachers alike. All major characters are Black, and Cerulean and several of their friends are queer. VERDICT A heartfelt lament for what America could be but chooses not to, this is a must-purchase for high school libraries. Recommended for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Amber McBride.-Catherine Cote

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