Parents' Guide to Ace of Spades

Parents need to know that Ace of Spades, the first novel from Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, is a thriller about two Black teens, Devon and Chiamaka, who attend a prestigious, predominately White prep school. After the headmaster appoints them to leadership roles for the senior class, an anonymous person, Aces, begins sending malicious text and video messages about them to the whole student body. They become friends as they join forces to solve the mystery of who Aces is. There's a sequence that involves a sex tape. A girl uses dating and sex with high-status boys to navigate the social hierarchy of the school. There are discussions of coming out, and a teen who questions their sexual orientation. Violent scenes include two boys being beaten after being discovered kissing, a girl strangled (not killed, left with bruises), an execution, and the destruction of a building. Coarse language includes "s--t," "f--k," the "N" word, "d--k," "hell," and "bitch." Occasional mentions of brands, such as the Apple Notes app, and media properties, such as The Incredibles, add realism to the setting.