by Carol Fenner
First published 1997
Yolanda knows her little brother Andrew is brilliant, even if nobody else sees it. The fifth grader moved from Chicago with Andrew and their mother, leaving behind a neighborhood where everyone respected Yolanda's fierce protection of her younger brother. Andrew barely speaks and struggles with reading, but he creates incredible music on the harmonica their father gave him. When Yolanda looks up "genius" in the dictionary, she recognizes Andrew perfectly. She decides to make their mother and everyone else understand Andrew's rare gift. Then disaster strikes while Yolanda isn't watching. Andrew stops playing music entirely. Now Yolanda faces her biggest challenge yet. She must find a way to help Andrew rediscover his musical voice while convincing the world to see his true talent. This Newbery Honor story follows a determined sister's mission to protect what matters most.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, underdog
Setting: Chicago
224 pages · Paperback · Aladdin