Calling My Name

A parent would reach for this book when their teenage daughter begins to push back against family traditions or religious expectations in search of her own truth. Calling My Name is a lyrical journey following Taja through the transformative years of middle and high school within her tight-knit African American community. It captures the quiet, internal shifts of growing up, focusing on the tension between who her family wants her to be and who she is becoming. Parents will appreciate the nuanced exploration of faith, first love, and the courage it takes to speak one's mind. While it handles mature themes like puberty and dating, it does so with a poetic grace that validates the adolescent experience without being sensationalist. It is an ideal choice for fostering open dialogue about identity and the evolving boundaries of the parent-child relationship.