Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh

I was very excited to see the announcement from the National Book Foundation on nominees for the National Book Award; here is the short list across several categories and the long list for Young People’s literature is here. I have not yet read many of the nominees, but in addition to the one here, I will be reviewing others in future posts.

EVERY BODY LOOKING by Candice Iloh is an impressive coming of age debut novel told in verse.  The main character, Ada, is off to a historically black college and facing all of those important life moments about learning who she really is. Ada explains, “you start growing / further away from / what used to be home // you go looking for somewhere / that lets you be / what’s inside your head // you go find a way to get back / to your own history lesson / to your own way of being alive.” One key aspect to which students will relate is whether (and how) her interest in dance should be pursued. Another is her sexuality, with echoes of the consequences of childhood trauma. Through flash backs to first, second, sixth grade and high school, readers cannot help but feel strong emotions related to Ada and her life experience: “Crying is stupid when it is over a boy or the group of girls who you just wanted to like you enough to make you their friend.” There is the culture shock related to her peers at college “I know nothing / but this city // but my father / but these schools / where I’ve always // been one of few specks / of dingy brown / in a sea of perfect white” and to their family life (“fussin / over homework they need to do”) versus her own dealing with her mother’s addiction, an domineering father and an aunt who does not respect her privacy. Given its format, one can read this book relatively quickly, but savor it - there is much to contemplate and discuss. EVERY BODY LOOKING received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus.