The Parker Inheritance

Book review by Jan Carr, Common Sense Media
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Common Sense says

age 8+

Kids investigate past racist incident in thrilling mystery.

Varian Johnson Mystery 2018
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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 4 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

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What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Varian Johnson's The Parker Inheritance was named a 2019 Coretta Scott King (Author) Honor Book. It's a fast-paced, complex mystery set in both the Jim Crow South and the present. The main characters are two smart, savvy African American kids who love books and brainteasers. The story deals frankly and thoughtfully with both subtle and blatant racism in the 1950s and today. Most racial slurs are alluded to, not spelled out, though one character is called "tar baby," and another, "darkie lover." Some whites threaten a young black girl with a doll that has a noose around her neck. Characters also deal with divorce, bullying by peers, and gay identity. Though the issues are serious, they're woven skillfully into a suspenseful, page-turning plot, and there's warmth and lightness in the families and friendships.

Community Reviews

personwholovesmovies
personwholovesmovies Adult
June 8, 2020
age 11+

Good book

Good, strong book. There are some things, but other than that, it’s perfect! My child loved this book so much. She said it was very interesting .

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much swearing
Funwiththetinygirl
Funwiththetinygirl Adult
June 4, 2020
age 6+

Absolute must read for the summer of 2020

This book has earned it's place on our firm family favorites list. It is an enticing story based on it's mystery alone, but the issues of race, gender, sexuality, bullying and family dynamics are all interspersed with such gentle reasoning that it's a book that teaches without being dogmatic. It's history is necessarily hard to hear in places but in such a way that we should not try to hide from our children - my rule of thumb regarding sensitive subjects is this: "If your child is the same age as a child actually experiencing these issues, then they are not too young to hear about them." I found myself constantly drawing parallels with modern discrimination, oppression and prejudice as the story highlights these issues in the past, and then in the present through the issues the kids face throughout this book. I make a point of seeking out Corretta Scott King medal honorees and those who value diversity in their children's reading, will undoubtedly love this book.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE PARKER INHERITANCE, 12-year-old Candice has to spend the summer in Lambert, South Carolina, due to her parents' divorce. When she and her mom take up residence in her deceased grandmother's house, Candice finds a letter alluding to a town tragedy and offering clues to a mysterious fortune. Candice teams up with bookish neighbor Brandon, and the two ingeniously puzzle out clues, scour the internet, and sift through old yearbooks and photos. Scenes shift easily between past and present as they piece together the story of an African American family that was driven out of town during the Jim Crow 1950s. What happened? Why? Who's the mysterious donor, and what's his relationship to the town's history?

Is It Any Good?

This page-turning mystery skillfully braids two time periods for maximum suspense, while offering candid, complex portrayals of racial interactions and history. In The Parker Inheritance, the two main kids are smart, savvy, and plucky as they puzzle out a mystery and bring to light a racist incident that reverberated through their town more than half a century ago. Author Varian Johnson does not shy away from difficult issues, and his take on race is nuanced. In the earlier history, some light-skinned blacks opt to pass as white, the African American characters are aware of relative skin shade, and though some fight for school integration, others have strong affection for their all-black schools and communities.

Though the multimillion-dollar prize for solving the puzzle (promised in the found letter) is a somewhat unrealistic fairy tale element, it adds fun, ups the stakes, and spurs suspense. The chapters set in the 1950s provide a compelling history lesson for today's kids. African American readers will recognize themselves and their families in the warm, playful banter and dialogue, and in the exchanges the characters have with the wider world. This vivid story will stick with readers long past the last page.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the racial issues in The Parker Inheritance. What challenges did the Washington family have in the 1950s? How did they deal with them? How do Candice and Brandon experience racism today, and how are their responses similar or different?

  • What do you think about the light-skinned African American characters who passed for white in the 1950s? What did they gain? What did they lose? What choice do you think you would have made?

  • What do you think about the character Chip? How does he misunderstand some of his interactions with African Americans?

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

For kids who love mysteries and stories that deal with racism

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