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Radiant

By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Edition

Hardcover edition

Publisher Penguin Random House Imprint Dutton ISBN

9780593855782

Radiant

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In stock
SKU
9780593855782J

CONTENT NOTIFICATIONS

Crime: Hate Crimes,Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Violence: General

A historical middle-grade novel in verse from multiple Coretta Scott King winner Vaunda Micheaux Nelson.



As school begins in 1963, Cooper Dale wrestles with what it means to “shine” for a black girl in a predominantly white community near Pittsburgh. Set against the historic backdrop of the Birmingham church bombing, the Kennedy assassination, and Beatlemania, Radiant is a finely crafted novel in verse about race, class, faith, and finding your place in a loving family and a complicated world.



Cooper’s primary concern is navigating fifth grade, where she faces both an extra-strict teacher and the bullying of Wade Carter, the only child of a well-to-do white family, whose home Cooper’s mother cleans for extra income. How can she shine when her mother works for the meanest boy in school? To make matters worse, Cooper quietly wishes she could be someone else.



It’s not all bad, though. Cooper and her beloved older sister have fallen for the Beatles, and Cooper is thrilled to have something special they can share. And what she learns about her British idols adds new complexity to Cooper’s feelings about race.



More Information

PreK

Standard MARC Records

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Cover Art

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Middle Grade Fiction Plus (Grades 5-7)

Middle Grade Fiction Plus

Middle Grade Fiction Plus (Grades 5-7)

For Grades 5-7

This collection features fiction titles selected for upper elementary and early middle school readers who are ready for engaging, well-crafted stories that reflect their everyday lives and interests. Selections span contemporary and realistic fiction, as well as approachable genre titles, offering accessible narratives with emotional depth, humor, and heart—designed to encourage independent reading and sustained engagement.

14 books per Year
$294.00 per Year
Interests

Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Speculative Fiction

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