One of the Good Ones

Product Description

A shockingly powerful exploration of the lasting impact of prejudice and the indomitable spirit of sisterhood that will have readers questioning what it truly means to be an ally, from sister-writer duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.

ISN’T BEING HUMAN ENOUGH?

When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.

One of the good ones.

Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of
The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there’s a twist to Kezi’s story that no one could’ve ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

Praise for the Moulites’ debut novel,
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine

“I couldn’t put
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine down!” —
New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory

“An enchanting and engrossing novel full of wit and laughter.” —Edwidge Danticat, author of
Breath, Eyes, Memory

“Remarkable, funny, and whip-smart.” —Ibi Zoboi, author of
American Street, National Book Award finalist

“Maika and Maritza Moulite have created quite the masterpiece.” —
NPR.org

“Alaine’s sarcastic quips…are worth the price of admission alone.” —
HYPEBAE

“A beautiful story from start to finish.” —
Buzzfeed

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Keziah Leah Smith is a YouTube vlogger and activist. She’s just turned 18, and she’s excited about attending her first Black Lives Matter protest—but an interaction with police at the rally ends with Kezi losing her life. Her sisters Happi and Genny and her best friends Ximena and Derek decide to honor Kezi by taking a road trip on Route 66. This special road trip was designed by Kezi as a graduation gift to herself and a way for her to reconnect with her sisters. Kezi, a Black history enthusiast, used the Negro Motorist Green Book to craft her trip. Now her sisters will take the journey for her. Happi is a reluctant traveler as she laments her broken relationship with Kezi. As the trip unfolds, Happi learns not only about the history of her family’s involvement with the Green Book but also how she can reconnect with the older sister she didn’t get a chance to truly know. This book is largely about what version of being Black is deemed acceptable to white society. The question of Blackness as it pertains to acceptability is examined through several lenses. The novel makes it clear that there are multiple ways to be a Black person in America, and that acceptability doesn’t equal safety. VERDICT A thrilling read for fans of historical and realistic fiction. A great title for public and school libraries.—Desiree Thomas, Worthington Lib., OH

Review

“…Brilliant storytelling, sharp dialogue… An explosive look behind the hashtags at race and history, taking readers on a road trip mapped by love and grief. Close to perfection.” —
Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“A thrilling read for fans of historical and realistic fiction. A great title for public and school libraries.” —
School Library Journal, starred review

“Thrilling and thrillingly intricate, genre-bending
One of the Good Ones investigates intergenerational racial trauma through the eyes of three very different sisters while it testifies to the power of love and hope in spite of it. Astonishing!” —Laura Ruby, two-time National Book Award finalist and author of
Bone Gap

“Maika and Maritza are conjurers, unearthing strange and sublime ways to tell a story that’s both America’s oldest and today’s newest.
One of the Good Ones is magic.” —Damon Young, author of
What Doesn’t