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Patina | September 11, 2017

by Jason Reynolds (Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster)

Like many readers eager to see themselves reflected in stories, I have devoured Jason Reynolds’s books. He subtly, effortlessly weaves into his stories social obstacles that black folks face, but there are reminders of the beauty in the world and in ourselves throughout the pain and the growth of his characters. One of my favorite reads of 2016 was Ghost, the first in a series following the lives a middle school track team’s newest members. I was eager for Book 2, and thankfully (and unsurprisingly), Patina was everything I wanted it to be! Patina, or “Patty”, has been through more than the average twelve-year-old should face: her father died when she was very young, and after her mother lost both legs to diabetes, Patty’s aunt and uncle became sole guardians of her and her younger sister. Now she lives in a shmanzy neighborhood, attends a shmanzy school, and can’t seem to make friends with her shmanzy classmates. Patty is also the only new girl on the Defenders track team. And even though she’s the fastest girl on the team, she has a lot to prove. Patty is growing up faster than most kids her age, and has fears and anxieties that are relatable even for adults, but there is still innocence and lightness in her story as she finds acceptance in this new life. As the second story in the Track series, and Reynold’s first book with a female protagonist, Patina definitely “ain’t no junk.”

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