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So, what’s so special about Mottley’s premiere novel? Well, where do we even begin? Mottley began writing Nightcrawling when she was just 17 years old. She was named Youth Poet Laureate of Oakland, and her premiere work has already received encouraging, positive reviews. Oprah even confessed in her announcement video that Mottley’s Nightcrawling “just wowed me.” Let’s dive in to what this harrowing novel is all about.
Nightcrawling tells the story of Kiara, a 17-year-old Black teenage girl living in East Oakland who “carries the world on her shoulders,” as Oprah describes. Kiara’s father is in prison, her mother recently attempted suicide, and Kiara’s brother Marcus dreams of being a rap star — though his aspirations aren’t exactly yielding any financial stability for the family. Making circumstances far worse, Marcus and Kiara are about to be evicted from their apartment.
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Before you go, click here to check out children’s books starring girls of color.
