Facing the Rising Son

Fans of Jason Reynolds’ As Brave as You and Kwame Alexander’s Solo will love this debut YA coming-of-age novel in verse that explores race in America, family relationships, and the deep meaning of living up to a generational legacy.

It’s hard to find anything in the shadows. Roosevelt “Rose” Newman III should know—he lives in a lot of them.

There’s the shadow of his successful older sister who is getting her PhD; his father’s lofty expectations; the shadows of the primarily white students at Rose’s private school; and, most importantly, the shadow of his civil rights activist grandfather—the original Roosevelt Newman—who was killed before Rose was born. His legacy is impossible to live up to, as are Rose’s father’s lofty expectations.

When a teacher makes a racist comment and Rose uses his graffiti art to retaliate, he’s thrust into the limelight. As a punishment from his father, Rose must complete community service and attend a trip to his family’s house in Alabama to attend a ceremony honoring his grandfather.

But as he spends time with his extended family, photos and family stories reveal that Rose may be more like Roosevelt the first in far more than name. Award-winning author Kelly J. Baptist blends heritage and heart to bring her debut YA novel to life.