Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution, by Sherri Winston, which was long-listed for the 2022 National Book Award, is about 12-year-old Lotus Bloom, an African American girl in the seventh grade. A talented violinist, Lotus transfers from a poorly resourced school in Miami, where most of the students are people of color, to a new arts school a few blocks away, where most of the students are White and come from wealthier families. When kids jealous of her talents make fun of her Afro, she is accused of violating the dress code and disrupting the class. Lotus must decide what's most important to her: freedom to wear her hair the way she wants; opportunity to launch a music career; the opinions of her friends and family members; or the principle of resisting the school's unfair edict. Classmates throw paper airplanes and spitballs into a Black girl's hair. A mother slaps her son's face, then berates and belittles him in a public place where other people can hear.
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What's the Story?
When LOTUS BLOSSOM AND THE AFRO REVOLUTION begins, Lotus is starting her first day of seventh grade at her community's fancy new school for students who are gifted in the arts. Her joy and commitment to playing the violin make her less worried about not going to school with her best friend than she she might otherwise be. She also doesn't want to think much about the fact that her old school, with mostly Black kids like her, doesn't get the resources it needs. Lotus' parents are divorced, and her mom's got a new boyfriend. Lotus misses her dad, who's pursuing his own musical dreams in Paris, France. When the music director assigns Lotus the prime seat in the orchestra, that leads to trouble from envious kids and the ambitious mother of another student musician.
Is It Any Good?
This is an inspiring book, with likable characters and realistic presentation of contemporary concerns. In Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution, author Sherri Winston brings us an all-too-rare glimpse into the life of an "arts kid." The main character has all the typical middle-school concerns with parents, friends, and school. She has a rising aware of social issues like racism and corruption. But for her, her music comes first. It's her source of joy and the center of her desired future. Kids with interests in theater, music, and art will see themselves in these characters. Other middle-school readers can relate to the universal challenge of finding your niche in a new school and of gradually being pulled into grown-up problems in the world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of having a dream in Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution. What are some of your dreams for the future? What strengths will help you realize them? What might get in your way?
One of the themes of Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution is how to prioritize values when different values come into conflict. What are your strongest values? Have you ever had to make a hard choice to uphold that value?
Do you have a special talent? What are you doing to develop it? How do you share it with at school, or with your friends and family?
Book Details
- Author: Sherri Winston
- Genre: Arts
- Topics: Activism, Arts and Dance, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Middle School
- Character Strengths: Courage, Empathy, Integrity
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
- Publication date: September 6, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 278
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: October 24, 2022
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