Black Card. Chris L. Terry

Chris L. Terry is both funny and unflinching in his prose. His humor, which permeates the entire novel, is dark, sharp, and willing to speak to uncomfortable truths Intelligent and of the zeitgeist, Black Card will appeal to readers of Paul Beatty, Mat Johnson, Kiese Laymon, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, or Rachel Khong The narrator's imaginary companion, Lucius, serves as a chorus to the absurd realities of racism, a coping strategy for the protagonist while navigating life as a mixed-race American, and as a motivational propellant of plot. Yet Lucius's appearance doesn't detract from the realism of Black Card ; instead, the imaginary character is a thoughtful and impactful lens through which to read about mixed-race identity in the United States Author has a track record of publishing books for both YA and adult readers; Black Card itself is a strong choice for a crossover audience (late YA/New Adult), with its young protagonist, humor, and relatability; will be submitted to Junior Library Guild, NCTE, and ALA Alex Award committee for consideration Bookseller Praise for Black Card : "Looking at race in this country from the perspective of a biracial punk musician, Chris L. Terry gives us not just an examination of what it means to be black or white, but the expectations that are heaped on with each label. He's not white enough because . . . He's not black enough because . . . And maybe he is too black when . . . It's funny, it's introspective, and Black Card will definitely leave readers thinking about the expectations that come with 'race' for a long time." — Melissa Fox, Watermark Books & Cafe (Wichita, KS)