Zack

Zack is a biracial high school student living in Canada. While he is close to his father's Jewish family, his mother's Black relatives in the Southern United States remain a mystery. After discovering an old box of letters, Zack uses a school history project as a cover to travel secretly to Mississippi. There, he meets his grandfather and confronts the painful racial history that caused the family rift. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals directly with racism, both historical and contemporary. It addresses the estrangement of family members due to prejudice. The approach is realistic and serious, focusing on the systemic and personal impacts of the Jim Crow era and how those echoes persist today. The resolution is hopeful but grounded in the reality that healing takes time. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a sense of restless curiosity and mild isolation. It builds into a tense, adventurous journey as Zack travels south, and culminates in a heavy, emotional confrontation with the past. It ends on a note of empowerment and reclaimed identity. IDEAL READER: A thoughtful 14 year old who feels like a 'bridge' between two cultures and is starting to ask the 'hard' questions about why certain relatives don't speak to one another. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might choose this after hearing their child say, 'Why don't we ever visit Grandma's side of the family?' or noticing the child struggling to identify with one half of their heritage. PARENT PREP: Parents should be prepared to discuss the history of the American South and the specific terminology of racial prejudice used in the book. A preview of the scenes where Zack first encounters overt racism in Mississippi is recommended. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger teens will focus on the 'secret mission' and travel aspect, while older teens will better grasp the systemic weight of the racial themes and the nuance of Zack's mother's trauma. DIFFERENTIATOR: It unique because it bridges the Canadian and American experiences of Black identity while also exploring the intersection of Jewish and Black heritage.