Bright Red Fruit

Gr 8 Up–Set in Washington, D.C., Elhillo’s novel depicts the story of a Sudanese American teen who is coming of age in what appears to be an unforgiving world. Samira’s life unfolds as she reveals her reputational ruin from one young man’s lies and how it impacts her development as a young Sudanese woman. Growing up in a multigenerational family shaped by Sudanese cultural standards of duty and community, Samira seeks to survive by carving out her own sense of identity through the use of poetry. A supportive aunt stands in the wings; a doting mother and a small kaleidoscope of allies flutter about to protect as Samira tastes the bright, red fruit of life. This is a cautionary tale, if ever, juxtaposed with snippets of the life of Persephone, the Greek goddess through which a revelation of the changing seasons came to pass. Samira’s story unfurls her passage into womanhood through her own voice, wavering, childlike, insecure yet told through vivid, moving lines in verse.