Imani All Mine

A teenage honor student and mother tells her story in this YA novel "full of humor, joy, sadness, hopeful innocence, and gritty realism" (SLJ).

A Black Caucus of the American Library Association Honor Book

An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

"Beautifully realized." —New York Times Book Review

"A wonderful novel, full of lyrical and emotional storytelling and lovely, dancing language." —Washington Post

"With authority and grace" (Essence), Imani All Mine tells the story of Tasha, a fourteen-year-old unwed mother of a baby girl. In her ghettoized world where poverty, racism, and danger are daily struggles, Tasha uses her savvy and humor to uncover the good hidden around her. The name she gives her daughter, Imani, is a sign of her determination and fundamental trust despite the odds against her: Imani means faith.

Surrounding Tasha and Imani is a cast of memorable characters: Peanut, the boy Tasha likes, Eboni, her best friend, Miss Odetta, the neighborhood gossip, and Tasha's mother, Earlene, who's dating a new boyfriend.

Tasha's voice speaks directly to both the special pain of poverty and the universal, unconquerable spirit of youth. Authentic in every detail, this is an unforgettable story. As Seventeen declared, "Porter's candid narrative will have you hooked from the opening sentence."

"A sympathetic but unsentimental portrait of a teenage mother. . . . Porter sifts hope from ashes." —Boston Globe

"Elegant, moving . . . a triumph of spirit." —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette