Girl on Fire

Fifteen-year-old Lolo Wright lives in the Monroe housing projects with her dad, grandma, and brother James. Attending Advanced Placement classes is the least of Lolo’s worries, but dealing with the social cliques is a different story. Lolo is a bit insecure and eager to fit in. Even after a chiding from the popular kids, her best friend Nia is solidly by her side. Encountering violence reveals Lolo’s powers, and soon she must work on harnessing her gifts to keep her family and friends safe from Skin, the self-appointed gang fiend of Monroe.

Girl on Fire is a graphic novel created by Alicia Keys in collaboration with Andrew Weiner. Gorgeous illustrations by Brittney Williams bring personality to each character. The book’s namesake is Keys’ best-selling song about feminine power, a theme that features prominently in Lolo’s journey of self-discovery. Best suited for middle-schoolers, the book offers realistic portrayals of teenagers growing up in poverty, at the intersection of racism and classism. Drugs, gangs, bullying, and police violence envelop the characters, who are fortified by family and friends who care about each other.

Girl on Fire is a win for representation. In these times, Lolo is the heroine we need: a book-smart Black girl who is determined to ace that research project, while channeling her powerful mind to fight evil.