We Deserve Monuments

Starred review from October 31, 2022
Biracial (Black and white) high school senior Avery Anderson abruptly relocates from Washington, D.C., to Bardell, Ga., to help care for her terminally ill, estranged Black maternal grandmother, Mama Letty. But the strenuous relationship between Avery’s mother and Mama Letty makes it difficult for Avery to get to know her grandmother, whose behavior toward Avery feels increasingly cold and hostile. Avery soon meets stunning next-door neighbor Simone, who is Black, and her friend Jade, white heiress to a downtown hotel. While exploring Bardell, Avery develops a crush on Simone, who she feels is “made of sunflowers.” When Mama Letty begins opening up about her life and Avery’s grandfather, Avery is heartened by this budding bond and connection to her heritage, and the more she learns about her family, the quicker she comes to grips with the town’s deep interpersonal connections. Hammonds’s deliberate prose crafts an expertly fleshed-out cast and a lushly described setting to thoughtfully examine questions of mortality and identity. This remarkable debut explores multigenerational trauma and how its effects leave severe wounds on the present while resonating into the future, making for a heartrending tale. Ages 14–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary and Media.