My Life As An Ice Cream Sandwich By: Ibi Zoboi

Synopsis:

Summer 1984, Ebony- Grace Norfleet flies from Huntsville, Alabama, to Harlem, where she’ll stay with her father while her mother deals with the trouble that’s arisen for Ebony- Grace’s grandfather, Jeramiah Norfleet, one of the first black engineers to integrate NASA in the 1960’s. Ever since she came to live with him when she was little, he’s nurtured his granddaughter’s love for space and science fiction- especially Star Wars and Star Trek, both of which she’s watched dozens of times. So even as Ebony- Grace struggled to make friends, she had her grandfather and the imaginary worlds they created together.

New York though, is different. Hip-hop. Break dancing. Double Dutch. Graffiti. Harlem is a loud and bewildering place for a sheltered country girl, and her first reaction is to retreat into her imagination. But soon 126th street reveals that it has more in common with her beloved outer-space adventures than she ever dreamed, and by summer’s end, Ebony-Grace discovers that maybe she’s not an alien after all. Broken but beautiful, Harlem has a place for a girl whose eyes are always on the stars.

Review:

This story is set in the 80’s in Harlem. A crazy but also beautiful time with lots of rhythm, soul and beat. It seemed like a pretty cool time to be around in my opinion. Ibi Zoboi actually makes you think your in Harlem. You open the book and immediately become transported into the world of Harlem. When I read this book I actually had to look out the window to see if I was still in my real home. Ibi Zoboi does something incredible in this book. She educates you in the history of Harlem. It is a cross between fiction and non-fiction because of this. You learn about the history of Harlem and New York, as well as being transported to a different world. My favorite character in this book is Bianca, Ebony- Grace’s best friend. She has a crew of friends who aren’t very nice to anyone ( especially Ebony). She acts like them and talks like them but really she’s just a shy little 12 year old girl who wants to be a break dancer and rapper just trying to be cool! All in all, this book is incredible and I really enjoyed the writing and story plot!

Recommended ages 9-12