Young people in cities and neighborhoods across the country are facing the consequences of gentrification as they struggle to maintain their local culture while their families are being priced out of homes and local businesses are being forced out. We’ve rounded up a selection of books out this year that address the immediate and longterm effects of this ongoing issue.
Danny and Clementine Save the World (and Each Other) by Livia Blackburne (Quill Tree, July 18 $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-322989-1). When a large corporation buys out the plaza that houses Danny’s family’s shop, intending to redevelop, Clementine and Danny, anonymous online rivals, resolve to preserve the plaza with a student initiative. Together the pair face lukewarm responses from the community, conflicting family and school obligations, and differing values on the journey to rescuing the shop.
The High Line: A Park to Look Up To by Victoria Tentler-Krylov (Abrams, May 2, $19.99 ISBN 978-1-4197-5670-2). This picture book highlights the history and construction of one of the world’s most innovative public parks, the New York City High Line, which first opened in 2009 on top of abandoned train tracks, and is now a beacon for community and art.
Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, July 11, $17.99 ISBN 978-0-374-38851-5). Aspiring Silicon Valley poet Pandita Paul fights against the demolition of a beloved apricot orchard that will be transformed into rental units. However, the project is for new affordable housing, an effort that others in the community support, and Pandita must find a way for her neighbors to come together.
Infested by Angel Luis Colón (MTV Books, July 25 $19.99 ISBN 978-1-66592-841-0). After a sudden move to the Bronx, Puerto Rican teen Manny Rivera is living with his family and new stepfather in a luxury condo that his stepfather owns. Suddenly, haunting events begin taking place when Manny starts investigating the condo’s history and makes shocking discoveries about the land it is built on.
Jane Jacobs: Champion of Cities, Champion of People by Rebecca Pitts (Triangle Square/Seven Stories, Sept. 12 $19.95 ISBN 9781644212998). This biography introduces young readers to activist Jane Jacobs (1916–2006), an advocate who championed diversity and community in the infrastructure of New York City.
The Jump by Brittney Morris (Simon & Schuster, Mar. 7 $19.99 ISBN 978-1-66590-398-1). Teens Jax, Yas, Spider, and Han aka Team Jericho, are the best scavengers in Seattle, but they each grow concerned about the rapid gentrification that is affecting their families. When anonymous online entity The Order sets up the ultimate scavenger hunt with promises of lifechanging benefits, Team Jericho competes with hopes of saving their community. See our q&a with Morris here.
The Light She Feels Inside by Gwendolyn Wallace (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Oct. 3, $18.99 ISBN 978-1-72823-979-8). Struggling with the policing in her neighborhood, Maya turns to the Black women of history for inspiration on how to help change her community for the better.
Looking Up by Stephan Pastis (Aladdin, Oct. 10 $13.99 ISBN 978-1-66592-962-2). Too many homes in Saint’s community are being replaced by new condos and coffee shops. When her favorite toy store is closed, Saint pairs up with her neighbor Daniel to help save what’s left of their town.
The Moonlit Vine by Elizabeth Santiago (Lee & Low/Tu, May 30 $24.95 ISBN 978-1-64379-580-5). Fourteen-year-old Taína is grappling with her parents’ divorce, discrimination at school, and a neighborhood being flooded with new stores that don’t make her or her community members feel welcome. When Taína learns she’s a descendant of a fierce Taíno warrior, she resolves to use her newfound powers to help restore a sense of safety.
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li (Quill Tree, May 16 $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-300893-9). After the death of her grandfather, Ruby Chen is spending more time reconnecting with her family, particularly her Nai Nai who lives near San Franscisco’s Chinatown. When Ruby learns that a historic Chinatown bakery is being priced out of the neighborhood, she works with newfound friends to save it from being bought out.
A Special Goodbye by Samantha Thornhill, illus. by Shirley Ng-Benitez (Lee & Low, Mar. 7, $15.95 ISBN 978-1-64379-510-2). In the 12th installment of the Confetti Kids series, Mei discovers that her parents’ beloved flower shop is closing due to rising rent costs. With the help of her friends, Mei is able to see just how much her community appreciates her family’s business before it closes.
There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia (Disney-Hyperion, Mar. 7 $18.99 ISBN 978-1-368-08432-1). Fifteen-year-old Los Angeles native Rhea comes up with a plan to create a fake gang to scare off gentrifiers, when rent spikes threaten her best friend’s ability to stay in the city. See our q&a with Adia here.
Underdog City by Chris Negron (HarperCollins, Oct. 31 $19.99 ISBN 978-0-06-325187-8). After the loss of his own dog, Mortimer Bray is unsure if he’ll be able to continue his dog-walking business, or contend with the recent tension that has plagued his neighborhood due to a vacant lot. With hopes to reunite his community, Mortimer resolves to unearth the lot’s history and purpose.
