This is the real deal—a book that teaches history without feeling like homework, tackles tough emotional terrain without being heavy-handed, and features one of the most memorable kid narrators in recent children's literature.

Delphine's voice carries the whole thing: she's responsible, sharp, protective of her younger sisters, and trying to make sense of a mother who doesn't seem to want them around. The Black Panther setting isn't just backdrop—Williams-Garcia shows the community breakfast programs, the poetry, the activism in ways that make it real and specific rather than scary or abstract.

The awards are well-deserved. This is a summer reading list staple that actually lives up to the hype, and it's part of a trilogy if your kid gets hooked. It's engaging enough to keep reluctant readers turning pages while being rich enough for your little bookworm to dig into themes and historical context.

If you want a book that sparks real conversations about family, identity, and what it means to fight for justice, this is it.