Magoon, Kekla. Secret Library, The. Candlewick, 05/2024. 373pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-53623-088-8. GRADES 5–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Delilah “Dally” Peteharrington isn’t yet twelve years old when she defies her mother, steals back a hand-drawn map her beloved, adventurous grandfather bequeathed to her, and follows it to a mysterious, hidden library of secrets through which Dally can travel in time to significant memories of her relatives. As a modern-day witness to the past, Dally directly observes prejudice based on race, color, gender, class, and sexual orientation, yet Magoon handles those scenes with gentle sensitivity to young readers. The cover illustration shows Dally as Black, and she mentions her identity and refers to her curly hair and dark skin along with her awareness of how people in the past might perceive her. With strategic help, Dally’s ancestors manage to sidestep the crushing systems of racism, colorism, and sexism, but Dally’s mother—a pale-skinned woman with wavy brown hair—remains unredeemed. This history-rich adventure is very likely to appeal to socially aware tween readers, encourage them to believe that they are an improvement upon previous generations, and possibly inspire them to live up to that challenge.
Erica Siskind—Oakland Public Library