American Street

Whoa....I resumed this book today and literally finished it today. So fast paced, so much action!I truly enjoyed this novel considering I did not expect this book to do well.American Street is about Fabiola Toussaint who immigrates to America with her mother from Haiti, but upon arrival, her mother is detained at customs, leaving Fabiola to navigate a new country and culture on her own with some help from her cousins and aunt.The theme of this story is based on Fabiola trying to make sense of what happened to her mom and then trying to find a way for her mother to join her. As she begins to settle into her new environment, she meets and falls in love with a young guy named Kasim Anderson. Anderson will teach her about her new world and also serve to temporarily fill the void that Fabiola only desires for her mother.So many events occur that keep the storyline interesting and moving, but I must say, it is also sad. Honestly, I experienced many emotions while reading this book, and when I finished it, I still had all the characters I met in my mind. I finished this book in two sittings, though I did take a break because of work.I gave this book 4 stars on GoodReads, but it is technically 4.5 out of 5.0. Zoboi did a great job writing this book. Our main character, Fabiola Toussaint, is well developed and the theme is real and will resonate with many readers who have foreign blood in them. I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.

I teach high school- both I and the many students I have lent this book to have loved it. The story is piercing, exciting and page turning. More than other young adult novels I have read recently this book had a strong literary lyricism driven by a magical realism that blended Haitian voodoo mythology with the characters and action of the story. It was refreshing to read a YA book that had artistic depth. I'm back to order a third copy so I can keep loaning it out more widely.

Wow. Based on everything I'd heard (and essays I've read by this author), I knew I was going to love this book but was not fully prepared for its intensity and richness. As a faith a folklore nerd, I was hooked right away by Fabiola's fascination with the lwas of Haitian Vodou--that layer was gorgeous, deep, poetic, and masterfully handled. And then there are the rich and vibrant characters, the sweetness of first love, the heart-racing intensity of plot twists I will not reveal (and that you will not see coming!). It's a story of a girl, a city, immigrant joy and immigrant woes, heartbreak, love, and the dance among cultures in America's streets.

Verdict: a must-add for high school libraries and a heartbreaking account of immigration and the pursuit of the American dream from a rare cultural perspective. I will be shouting this book from the rooftops. Due to language and drug references, I concur with the grades 9-12 recommendation from Booklist and School Library Journal.Ibi Zoboi’s new novel, “American Street” is a gritty and haunting tale of a Haitian teenage immigrant, Fabiola Toussaint, who is separated from her mother when her mother is detained by immigration officials at the airport upon reaching America. Fabiola is then left alone to travel to meet her aunt and cousins in Detroit, where she is met with a harsh and unexpected view of the Unites States on the corner of American Street and Joy Road. In the family’s house on Detroit’s west side, Fabiola struggles to maintain her connection to the Haitian vodou of her heritage while striving to fit in and make a life of her own. Fabiola’s relationships with her cousins, new friends and love interest are strikingly poignant and raw, leaving her vulnerable to heartbreak and pain while she attempts to reunite with her mother.I read this book at full speed, not wanting to miss a single word while simultaneously racing to discover the conclusion to the story. I highlighted about 50 different selections that I wanted to return to and ponder, and was struck at how timely this novel is at this time of political strife regarding immigration and racial tensions. Zoboi herself is a Haitian immigrant, although she came to America when she was four years old rather than a teen as Fabiola did. A wonderful author’s note in the book shares her motivation for writing this story and the connection with the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, along with a rich backstory on the cultural Haitian heritage woven throughout the book.Review published originally on my Goodreads and Instagram (@theloudlibrarylady)(Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book through Edelweiss ~ all opinions are my own)

I loved reading this story. This was my first time reading Ibi Zoboi's work and I am now a fan for life. Loved this! Very heart-warming, funny and eye opening. A story that needed to be told.

Someone else mentioned that this story ends where "The Hate U Give" picks up, and I honestly think that's the best way to describe it. It's a great story. I still think about it sometimes. Really powerful.