Reach for the Skai

September 15, 2019
What's it like to grow up as a Disney child star? Skai Jackson, whose first big role was the character Zuri on the Disney Channel show Jessie, shares her experience of being in front of the camera, starting as a baby and continuing through her emergence as a young star who becomes a superconfident teen. The daughter of a single parent, Skai began her modeling career in New York when she was still in diapers. Her ambitious mother, struggling to make ends meet, decided she wanted more for Skai, which led to first commercials, then bigger auditions that resulted in her roles on Jessie and Bunk'd. Skai takes readers through how she adapted to life as a child actress and an unexpected role model for black girls. She also reveals the more challenging aspects of celebrity, such as having to stand up for herself, or maturely "clapback," when attacked on social media. She unapologetically states the reality of having to navigate life as a dark-skinned girl in a business that prefers lighter hues. Sporting her natural hair for years, Skai has had the fortitude to fully embrace and forge her identity as a talented actress, social-change advocate, and fashion icon (as well as a sneakerhead!). Periodic boxed lists of tips and copious photographs, both abetted by lively design, add to the book's sense of fun. Truly delivers what the subtitle promises. (Memoir. 8-12)

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September 27, 2019

Gr 5-8-Jackson was raised in New York City by a single mom who worked low-wage jobs. Jackson started modeling, landing several print ads and eventually, television commercials. After she was featured in a few small movie roles, Jackson's big break came from the Disney channel, which cast her as one of the adopted children on the popular series Jessie. Chapters describe Jackson's personal experiences with filming a TV series as well as meeting famous people along the way. But fame has its ups and downs-Jackson shares instances where she felt bullied because she was trying to live a normal life, as well as the difficulty in being seen as a character, rather than herself. Subsequent chapters explore her fashion sense and her advocacy for local and national causes, particularly issues that impact African American girls. Name dropping, celebrity photos, and hashtags abound in this fast-paced read about a young girl's rise to notoriety among the tween set. She seems to have remained grounded in her brief 16 years. VERDICT Few tweens will able to identify with her fortuitous accomplishments but many will want to read about them. This will be a hit with tweens everywhere.-Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools

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