The Stars and the Blackness Between Them

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them is an American young adult fiction book by Junauda Petrus. It was released on September 17, 2019, by Dutton Books, and tells the story of two teenage girls who build a relationship, as one acclimates to life in Minneapolis after moving from Trinidad, and the other battles an illness. The Stars and the Blackness Between Them received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award.^[1]

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them

First edition hardcover
Author	Junauda Petrus
Cover artist	Charles Chaisson
Language	English
Genre	Young adult fiction
Published	2019 (Dutton)
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardcover)
Pages	320 (Hardcover edition)
ISBN	978-0-5255-5548-3

In February 2021, Petrus announced that a film adaptation is in development.^[2]

Synopsis

16-year-old Audre lives in Port of Spain, Trinidad.^[3] At the urging of her mother, she attends church, but forms a romantic relationship with the pastor's granddaughter, Neri. After they are caught engaging in sexual activity, Audre is sent to live with her father in Minneapolis, where she meets Mabel.^[4] Mabel is questioning her own sexuality, and the two become friends. As they prepare for the upcoming school year, Mabel finds out she has a life-threatening illness. Audre supports Mabel as she undergoes treatment, both emotionally and through healing practices she has learned from her grandmother.^[5]

Publication

2019, United States, Dutton Books, ISBN 978-0525555483, 17 September 2019, Hardback.^[6]

Critical reception

The book received positive critical reception. Kirkus Reviews described The Stars and the Blackness Between Them in a starred review: "Through a nonlinear storyline and two secondary characters, Afua and Queenie, the author beautifully interjects elements of magical realism while delving into the complexities of spirituality. Readers seeking a deep, uplifting love story will not be disappointed as the novel covers both flourishing feelings and bigger questions around belief and what happens when we face our own mortality."^[5] In a second starred review Publishers Weekly wrote, "Petrus’s earnest debut successfully, touchingly combines elements of fantasy, bittersweet realism, and potent, affecting spirituality to tell the coming-of-age story of two complex, beautifully drawn young black women whose friendship and love draw them together even as Mabel’s failing health pushes them apart."^[7]

Accolades

• 2019 - Kirkus Reviews - 2019 Best Book^[5]
• 2020 - Coretta Scott King Book Award^[8]
• 2020 - American Library Association - Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Book^[9]

References

1. "American Library Association announces 2020 Youth Media Award winners" (PDF). ALA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
2. "Junauda Petrus Announces Film Adaptation of 'The Stars and the Blackness Between Them'". Nerds and Beyond. February 27, 2021. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
3. Junauda, Petrus. "The Stars and the Blackness Between Them". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
4. "The Stars and the Blackness Between Them - Book Review". Common Sense Media. 2019-09-24. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
5. "THE STARS AND THE BLACKNESS BETWEEN THEM by Junauda Petrus". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
6. Petrus, Junauda (2019). The stars and the blackness between them. New York. ISBN 978-0-525-55548-3. OCLC 1080276137.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
7. "The Stars and the Blackness Between Them". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
8. "The 2020 Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, and Coretta Scott King Award Winners". Barnes & Noble Reads. 2020-01-27. Archived from the original on 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
9. American Library Association (2020-02-05). "2020 Top Ten Best Fiction". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Archived from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2021-03-08.

External links

• The Stars and the Blackness Between Them on Penguin Random House