Girl on the Fly

13-year-old Kamaria Kessy lives in Philadelphia with her Momma and Baba (father), who are originally from Tanzania. Kamaria loves running and rhythm; she does not handle change well and needs time to come to terms with any changes in her life. So, when she learns that her father's sister, Aunt Rose, is coming to stay with the family following the breakdown of her marriage, and will be sharing her bedroom, Kamaria is not happy! In addition, she has other things to cope with; she has fallen out with her best friend, Odie, her track team is practicing hard for the state championships, and Kamaria is responsible for coming up with a chant to bring the team closer together and help them end the season victorious. Will this all prove too much for her, or can Kamaria find a way through all of these upheavals in her life?

I really enjoyed Girl on the Fly with its strong themes of family and friendship. Kamaria is such an interesting character; complex and loyal, she wants to do the best for everyone and worries about letting people down. She has somehow stopped speaking to Odie, a boy she has been best friends with since they were tiny, but does not really understand how this has happened and is too nervous to approach Odie to ask him why they are no longer friends. She is very close to her relay team friends, Neeka, Alexis and Luce, who are each great characters in their own right. However, Luce is moving away at the end of the school year; yet another change for Kamaria to come to terms with.

Aunt Rose is a brilliant addition to the novel. At first, Kamaria resents her coming into the family and making herself right at home, but the more time they spend together, the closer they become. Aunt Rose tells stories about her and Kamaria's father's childhood in Tanzania, and Kamaria begins to learn and understand much more about her roots. Rose helps Kamaria to cope with the pressures of her life; she encourages her to talk to Odie and heal their fractured relationship, and helps her to find the perfect words for her team chant. She is there for Kamaria through disaster and triumph, teaching her to be herself and to trust her instincts, and Kamaria comes to love her and feels that she has always known her aunt.

The author cleverly contrasts the noise and excitement of Kamaria's track meets with the quiet times she spends with Aunt Rose as they talk about Tanzania. We are also given a lovely insight into the lively and loving friendship Kamaria shares with her friends, with all of its ups and downs. There is also a gentle hint that her long friendship with Odie may just be blossoming into something else.

Girl on the Fly is a beautifully written coming-of-age story, which will be enjoyed by readers aged 11 and over. Special mention must also go to the beautiful book cover by Bex Glendining!

352 pages / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 11+