Charisma’s Turn

Gr 7 Up–This young adult graphic novel is an inspiring story about a Black high school student trying to find her way. Charisma is a senior who has some trouble controlling her emotions; at home, she helps her mother take care of her brother, who has asthma. She is strong, charismatic, and inspires others, but the “fight” she has in her could get her into trouble if something doesn’t change fast. Charisma has to make a choice after an altercation with another classmate lands them both in the principal’s office. She joins a restorative circle, and then she is mentored by her high school counselor, who sees her as a leader, and who exposes Charisma to different Black women writers, including Toni Morrison. Her counselor also tries to pull out Charisma’s passions, and Charisma finds out she has a voice and an interest in environmental racism, which she realizes could be contributing to her brother’s condition. The illustrations by Jones are vibrant and will appeal to many young readers who enjoy graphic novels, though the colorful layouts crowd the text at times. There is a beautifully written foreword by poet, artist, and educator Susan Arauz Barnes, whose focus is raising revolutionaries to change our world.