What Momma Left Me
From the winner of the Newbery Medal 2026
Published on 6. February 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-5266-0093-6 (ISBN)
Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of Piecing Me Together, a 2018 Newbery Honor Book and a Coretta Scott King Author Award-winner: a powerful novel about finding where you belong and the light in dark places
'Warm, rich and satisfying' Kirkus
Serenity knows she is good at keeping secrets, and she's got a whole lifetime's worth of them.
Her mother is dead, her father is gone, and she and her brother have to start over again by moving in with their grandparents. At first, things seem like they could be good: a new friend, a new church, a new school.
But when her brother seems to be going down the wrong path, the old fears set in. Will he end up like their dad? Will she end up like their mum?
In this exquisite coming of age story, Serenity discovers it is the power of love that keeps you sure of who you are, and who you will become.
'Warm, rich and satisfying' Kirkus
Serenity knows she is good at keeping secrets, and she's got a whole lifetime's worth of them.
Her mother is dead, her father is gone, and she and her brother have to start over again by moving in with their grandparents. At first, things seem like they could be good: a new friend, a new church, a new school.
But when her brother seems to be going down the wrong path, the old fears set in. Will he end up like their dad? Will she end up like their mum?
In this exquisite coming of age story, Serenity discovers it is the power of love that keeps you sure of who you are, and who you will become.
Reviews / Votes
An important and deeply moving novel. Highly recommended * John Green, New York Times-bestselling and award-winning author of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS on PIECING ME TOGETHER * Warm, rich and satisfying * Kirkus Reviews * Serenity Evans is a strong African-American character who will resonate with girls who are facing transitions of their own, large or small * School Library Journal * A warm and uplifting book, full of heart and hope * BookTrust * A realistic and accessible exploration of broken families, race, poverty and staying true to yourself * CultureFly * Watson's award-winning novels have a firm sense of place and perfectly capture an adolescent's struggle to cope with the pressures of family, friends and school while searching for who they want to be [...] What Momma Left Me is also a good choice for an English class exploring how to use poetic devices to communicate emotions and the minutiae and messiness of life * Reading Zone *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Young adult
Interest Age: From 12 years
Dimensions
Height: 200 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
197 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5266-0093-6 (9781526600936)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2020
1st Edition
Bloomsbury YA
€7.49
Available for download
Person
Renee Watson is the New York Times-bestselling, Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of Piecing Me Together, This Side of Home, What Momma Left Me, Watch Us Rise, co-written with Ellen Hagan, and Betty Before X, co-written with Ilyasah Shabazz, as well as two acclaimed picture books: A Place Where Hurricanes Happen and Harlem's Little Blackbird, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. She is the founder of I, Too Arts Collective, a non-profit-making organisation committed to nurturing under-represented voices in the creative arts, and currently lives in New York City.
www.reneewatson.net
@reneewauthor
www.reneewatson.net
@reneewauthor