In the Key of Us

Thirteen-year-old Andi Byrd is still grieving the loss of her artist mother and struggling to feel at home with the aunt and uncle who've taken her in when she's sent to a prestigious, mostly white summer music camp where she's one of only two Black girls. There she meets Zora, a confident camp veteran, and the two form a deep bond that blossoms into a tender queer first love, told through alternating perspectives and interwoven verse. The novel is a Stonewall Honor Book that thoughtfully explores grief, self-harm, mental health, and the microaggressions of being a Black girl in predominantly white spaces, alongside themes of identity, healing, and the power of music and friendship. Parents should note it includes a same-sex romance between the two main characters as well as sensitive handling of self-harm and loss.