A Song Below Water
By:
Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she's also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.
But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she's also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore— soon Portland won’t be either.
ISBN: 9781250315328
JLG Release: Sep 2020
Sensitive Areas:
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism , Language: Mild Language , Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes , Violence: General
Topics:
Sirens
, Mermaids
, Elokos
, Gorgons
, Mythical creatures
, African Americans
, Black people
, Prejudice and racism
, Fantasy and magic
, Portland, Oregon
Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Tavia Philips and Effie Calhoun Freeman, Black high school teens, have been raised like sisters. Tavia is sickened by the knowledge of what could happen to her if she ever affirms her siren identity in a society where sirens are persecuted and silenced—but wants to proclaim who she is, much to the dismay of her father. Tavia draws her strength fr Tavia Philips and Effie Calhoun Freeman, Black high school teens, have been raised like sisters. Tavia is sickened by the knowledge of what could happen to her if she ever affirms her siren identity in a society where sirens are persecuted and silenced—but wants to proclaim who she is, much to the dismay of her father. Tavia draws her strength from Camilla Fox, a natural hair YouTube personality who turns out to be a siren, too. Effie, not a siren but a powerful swimmer, cosplays as a mermaid at a Renaissance fair, and is attracted to Elric, her cosplay partner who cannot see her beyond their fictional roles. Effie is burdened by an inferiority complex, the result of her grandmother hiding major family secrets. When another siren is murdered, Tavia and Effie’s sisterhood has to weather many storms. Morrow has deftly woven a contemporary tale with mythical elements to take on the invisibility and marginalization of Black women, touching on issues such as misogynoir, body image, social justice, and generational trauma. Empowering and innovative. Morrow elevates mermaids and sirens to legitimate and compelling vanguards for social change. For contemporary YA collections and fantasy shelves, too.
Book Details
ISBN
9781250315328
First Release
September 2020
Genre
Fic
Dewey Classification
F
Trim Size
8 1/4" x 5 1/3"
Page Count
288
Accelerated Reader
N/AScholastic Reading Counts
N/ALexile
N/AFormat
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Tor/Tor Teen
Potentially Sensitive Areas
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism , Language: Mild Language , Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes , Violence: General
Topics
Sirens, Mermaids, Elokos, Gorgons, Mythical creatures, African Americans, Black people, Prejudice and racism, Fantasy and magic, Portland, Oregon,
