How You Grow Wings - Hardcover

Onoseta, Rimma

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1643751913 ISBN 13: 9781643751917

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022

Synopsis

An award-winning, "unforgettable" novel for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Erika L. Sánchez (SLJ, starred review) about two sisters when the line between family and foe is blurred.

Sisters Cheta and Zam couldn’t be more different. Cheta, sharp-tongued and stubborn, never shies away from conflict—either at school or at home, where her mother fires abuse at her. Timid Zam escapes most of her mother’s anger, skating under the radar and avoiding her sister whenever possible.
 
In a lucky turn, Zam is invited to live in her aunt’s luxurious home. Jealous, Cheta also leaves home, but to a hard existence that will drive her to terrible decisions. When the sisters are reunited, Zam alone sees just how far Cheta has fallen—and Cheta’s fate is in Zam’s hands.

Kirkus Prize Finalist * Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year * An SLJ Best Book of the Year * A Children’s Africana Book Award Honor Winner * A Rise: A Feminist Book Project honoree * A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year * Nautilus Silver Award Winner * Amazon August Editors' pick

About this title

About the Author

RIMMA ONOSETA is a Nigerian writer whose work explores identity, familial bonds, and the colonial corruption of African spirituality. She holds a degree in Finance from Northeastern University and an MBA from Suffolk University. Onoseta grew up reading late into the night, under her covers, with a flashlight and snacks. She writes stories she wanted to read when she was younger, stories about young Nigerians girls who are chaotic and fierce, and who question what they’re taught. When she’s not writing, Onoseta enjoys traveling and watching documentaries.  

Reviews

Gr 9 Up-Teenage sisters Cheta and Zam resent each other intensely. Long the target of their mother's violent physical abuse, 17-year-old Cheta has developed into a self-centered survivor with an iron will, intent on leaving the village of Alihame, Nigeria, behind and never looking back. But when a wealthy aunt and uncle invite one of the girls to move in with them, they pick compliant, passive Zam instead. In Aunty Sophie and Uncle Emeke's over-the-top Abuja mansion, Zam feels out of place as she navigates tensions within the household and her own struggles with anxiety. Unwilling to remain stuck in Alihame, Cheta moves to Benin City and begins selling drugs as darker options present themselves-like following in the footsteps of a classmate whose middle-aged sugar daddy bankrolls her lavish lifestyle. Told in Zam and Cheta's alternating perspectives, debut author Onoseta's novel offers exceptionally rich character development, slowly unraveling the history of the sisters' relationship until it becomes as easy to empathize with each of them as it is to understand why they hate each other. Parallel plots drive towards a surprising, powerful moment of intersection. Modern social and political issues are masterfully woven into the narrative, including the erosion of Nigerian languages and religion in the postcolonial era, class divides, colorism, and sexual exploitation of underage girls. VERDICT An unforgettable, character-driven exploration of sisterhood, survival, and self-advocacy perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo or Ibi Zoboi.-Elizabeth Gilesα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1643751913
• ISBN 13: 9781643751917
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336