Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

SING, UNBURIED, SING is a new novel by Jesmyn Ward, winner of the 2011 National Book Award for Fiction for Salvage the Bones. Once again, Ward employs her many skills as a writer, sharing the story of devoted, mixed race siblings JoJo and Kayla, of their parents Leonie and Michael, and of two sets of grandparents, Mam/Pop and Maggie/Big Joseph.  In addition to incorporating a song motif, alternating narrators relate a powerful story with themes of racism, cycle of poverty, and coming of age. Set in rural Mississippi, much of the action involves a harrowing car trip to Parchman, an infamous prison where Michael has spent three years and where Pop was previously unjustly incarcerated.  On the verge of becoming a man at thirteen, JoJo senses that all is not as it should be.  At some level, he is aware of the drug use and is not sure how to confront a mother who he believes hates him despite his grandmother’s assurances that, “No, she loves you.  She doesn’t know how to show it. And her love for herself and her love for Michael – well, it gets in the way. It confuse her.” JoJo is attuned to spirits, hyper-aware of the thoughts and feelings of others, ever protective of his younger sister and often encourages his much-respected black grandfather to share his stories and unburden himself. SING, UNBURIED, SING received starred reviews from Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and will be added to our Junior Theme book list.

LOCAL NOTE: Jesmyn Ward will be speaking (along with Natalie Moore, author of The South Side) on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, 7:00 PM at the Evanston Township High School Auditorium, 1600 Dodge Avenue in Evanston, Illinois​.  For more information, visit the Family Action Network website.