With Love, Miss Americanah

A Nigerian teen struggles to acclimate to life in America in this endearing character-focused novel. Following her father’s death, 17-year-old Enore Adesuwa, her mother, and her younger sister emigrate from Nigeria to Hudson Valley. Hoping to avoid feeling like a fish out of water and teach herself how to navigate American high school, Enora watches classic teen movies given to her by her cousin. Using what she learns from movies such as Sixteen Candles and Mean Girls, Enore establishes a list of rules she’s certain will ensure her survival. Yet she promptly breaks rule #1 (“Avoid interacting with or befriending anyone who is popular”) when she meets football player Davi Santiago, a Brazilian American classmate with whom she bonds over their cultural differences and similarities. When Davi persuades Enore to audition for the school’s upcoming production of “Cinderella,” she agrees. Things get complicated after she aces her audition and lands the lead role, an accomplishment she must hide from her mother, who wants Enore to focus on academics. Focusing on both the joy and grief associated with drastic change, Igharo employs lush prose that eschews didacticism and deftly balances high school romance, cultural traditions, and the importance of representation in this confident debut. Ages 14–up. (June)