Out of darkness / Ashley Hope Pérez.

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  • Additional Information
    • Abstract:
      Summary: Loosely based on a school explosion that took place in New London, Texas in 1937, this is the story of two teenagers: Naomi, who is Mexican, and Wash, who is black, and their dealings with race, segregation, love, and the forces that destroy people.
    • Notes:
      Young Adult.
      660 Lexile
      Michael L. Printz Honor, 2016
    • ISBN:
      9781467742023
      1467742023
    • Accession Number:
      2014023837
    • Accession Number:
      ocn884630969
      884630969
    • Accession Number:
      fay.483578

Reviews

Booklist Reviews 2015 September #1

Pérez's latest—following The Knife and the Butterfly (2012)—is a powerful work of historical fiction set in New London, Texas, that revolves around events leading up to the horrific 1937 school explosion that killed close to 300 people. This gripping story centers on high-school senior Naomi, a Mexican American girl who recently arrived from San Antonio with her half siblings, twins Beto and Cari, and their father, oil-field worker Henry. Naomi's struggle to learn how to take care of the household chores is complicated by her dark past with Henry and the overt racism she faces in the segregated town. She reluctantly befriends and then falls in love with an African American boy, Wash, who is both brilliant and kind to her younger brother and sister. Pérez's skillful use of multiple perspectives creates a full and well-rounded sense of place and story. Elegant prose and gently escalating action will leave readers gasping for breath at the tragic climax and moving conclusion. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews 2016 Spring

Two teens, Mexican American Naomi and African American Wash, fall in love and struggle to keep their relationship secret in racist 1936 east Texas. This novel weaves in the forces that led up to the 1937 New London school explosion, a tragedy rooted in the era's violent abuse against minorities. A poignant, potent, and provocative historical drama steeped in well-researched factual details.