Take Back the Block

Starred review from December 1, 2020

Gr 3-7-Wes Henderson has to spend his 11th birthday protesting a new development in his neighborhood with his community activist mother. He's melting in the heat and decides to hide when he sees a news van arrive. He doesn't want to appear on the evening news; he dislikes protesting and gets nervous in front of cameras, which could ruin his cool reputation. Wes lives in Kensington Oaks, in the home where his mother grew up and one that his grandfather saved for 10 years to purchase. He has a tight-knit friend group that includes Mya, a girl who has moved out into a more upscale neighborhood. She doesn't get along with Kari, another friend who had to move out when a developer bought the building he lived in. Kari's situation is precarious and Wes worries about his well-being. But he doesn't really relate to the issue of gentrification until it comes to Kensington Oaks and he sees firsthand how it divides the community. This impressive debut is notable for its depiction of how gentrification pushes the working-class poor out of neighborhoods, as well as substantive ways that communities can protest, all for a middle grade audience. Wes is a humorous, likable, relatable narrator who recognizes that he lives comfortably compared to some, and who appreciates his family history within the community. VERDICT This title is a first purchase for any collection. Giles has crafted an outstanding depiction of the nuances of gentrification as well as the struggle and joys of working-class Black families and communities.-Brenda Kahn, Tenakill M.S., Closter, NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Wes Henderson wants to focus on championing his swag in middle school but instead confronts a larger challenge as his neighborhood is threatened by the forces of gentrification. Giles debuts with a novel that provides a probing look into the complex topic of gentrification and its ever present reality for low-income urban Black neighborhoods. Wes, a Black boy and the only child of two community activist parents, would rather spend his time getting fresh to defend his fifth grade Best Dressed title than be out every weekend protesting in the hot sun. However, he's beginning to notice the accumulating effects of neighborhood shifts; his longtime friend Kari's family was just pushed out of their home, and there's the arrival of new stores that ask you to "build-your-own burger" and "grind-your-own coffee." The tensions are even beginning to affect his longtime crew as the friends navigate their own different positions. What shines throughout the book is the power of intergenerational community organizing, as the text does an admirable job of highlighting the practices and networks for defending one's home, chosen family, and history. Younger readers may require support in decoding and connecting some of the complex concepts in this book; it could sit at the center of a transformative collective reading experience. The story echoes contemporary realities that, as its culmination indicates, take an entire community to confront, and it will undoubtedly push readers into action. An ambitious invitation for young readers that delivers promise for all. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-13)

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