Finding Yvonne

May 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-L.A. high school senior Yvonne lives with her single father, a high-end chef, and has identified as a violinist since she was a small child. Now, her music seems to have failed her as an identity, and she longs for the mother who deserted the family a dozen years earlier. She is also shifting between two markedly different young men. There is much potential here, both for Yvonne and readers, to consider in terms of knowing oneself, evaluating prospective paths of action, and moving ahead. However, the story is littered with only partially realized, and thus frustrating, symbolism and less-than-credible turns. By the end of the novel, readers will understand that Yvonne's father is depressed, but it takes a long time to get to that realization from what seems to be his primary presentation as a habitually pot-smoking, often absent parent. The inclusion of an LGBTQ nod is relegated to the sidekick's lesbian mothers, present in a few passages. The nuances of passing and racial erasure in the contemporary African American community is one area handled here with grace and cogency through the frustration of one of Yvonne's love interests, who feels slighted when an interviewer fails to identify him as black. Lacking the spark of energy of Little & Lion, Colbert's latest seems underdeveloped. VERDICT An additional purchase.-Francisca Goldsmith, Library Ronin, Worcester, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 4, 2018
Colbert (Little & Lion) delivers another emotionally layered story, this time centered around Yvonne, a young African-American woman struggling to figure out what she wants to do with her life—torn between whether to attend a music conservatory and try to become a professional violinist, or give up the violin and choose another profession. Lonely at home, where her mother left years earlier and her father is largely absent, Yvonne finds solace in baking. Her dad, a celebrated L.A. chef, and his friend see talent in Yvonne’s cakes and tarts, and they encourage her to consider pastry chef training. Meanwhile, Yvonne is floating between two boys: Warren, her father’s sous chef, and a street violinist. Yvonne’s character is steady and compelling as she struggles to connect with her always stoned, workaholic father and decide what, if anything, she wants from her romantic partners. Colbert shows a clear knack for secondary characters, and she surrounds Yvonne with a best friend who’s her equal in thoughtfulness, as well as the ever-gentle, if prone to mistakes, Warren. As Yvonne’s struggles grow to include life-changing decisions, this accessible, nuanced novel will reward patient readers. Ages 14–up. Agent: Tina Dubois, ICM Partners.

July 1, 2018
Privileged teenager Yvonne must decide what to do with her future.Yvonne has lost her passion for the violin...or she never had it to begin with. She's unsure, but what is clear is that her longtime violin teacher has dropped her, and she feels lost. Yvonne's mother left when she was little, and her famous chef father is rarely around and stoned most of the time. Feeling she has nothing to distinguish her--other than a passing compliment for her musical abilities from her childhood orchestra teacher--Yvonne is acutely aware of the fawning attention her father receives for his gifts. One day, strolling Venice Beach with her not-quite-official boyfriend, Warren, Yvonne is enraptured by two buskers. She's especially taken by the violinist--handsome, dreadlocked Omar. After Warren prioritizes work on her 18th birthday, Yvonne begins hanging out with college-dropout Omar, whom she soon sleeps with, leading to complications. Yvonne engages in endless introspection, but her character feels flat, and the lack of forward momentum makes it difficult to sustain interest in her story. The musical theme does not ring true, and secondary characters are underdeveloped. The book takes on gentrification, double standards around female sexuality, and race (light-skinned Warren has a white father and identifies as black), but readers may long for more depth. All major characters are black, and Yvonne's best friend has two moms.Patient readers may appreciate this one. (Fiction. 14-18)

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May 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 Yvonne's falling out of love with her violin and can't quite reclaim the passion or intensity she used to have. At almost 18, she's experiencing a serious existential crisis: Does she want a future without music? Meanwhile, things are heating up between her and Warren, the sous chef at her father's high-end restaurant. But trust is hard, especially since her mother abandoned her, and when Warren callously skips her birthday, she runs to someone whom she thinks understands her better. Colbert's excellent ear for dialogue is on display in her latest, and she does a fantastic job of capturing the particular anxieties of a highly intelligent, talented teen at a crossroads, as well as the weight of microaggressions about everything from race to sexuality to economic status. When Yvonne accidentally gets pregnant, she has even more decisions to make, and while the plot about the pregnancy and her choices about her music don't quite coalesce, the overall arc of Yvonne's character, choices, and growth is moving and believable nonetheless. Perfect for fans of character-�driven novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)