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Is a book about COVID-19 considered historical fiction? Although it's only five years out, the markers of the pandemic seem so far removed from our current reality. Also, especially coming from a middle-class perspective, sometimes there's a tendency to romanticize the period--getting to stay home and enjoy a slower lifestyle, for example. In multiple voices, a diverse group of black and brown teens (and a couple of adults) share their experiences during the pandemic. Because it's a novel in verse, it's a relatively short audiobook that reflects on the systemic injustice experienced during lockdown and brings the reader to reflection on the reverberations that are still felt today.

Like other books told from multiple perspectives, some stories are told more successfully than others. As mentioned earlier, the story is primarily told through New York City teens' perspectives, so it's a little jarring when there are adult perspectives in there (social worker, bodega owner). While uneven, I'm sure it will be an appreciated novel.

Ages 12+