📕 Title: King of the Neuroverse
✏️ Author: Idris Goodwin
📖 Genre: Young Adult Fiction
⭐ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

BOOK BLURB

Pernell, a Black teen with ADHD, finds himself in summer school for the third year in a row. Dealing with pressure from his parents and a teacher who doesn’t like him, Pernell finds joy in the lunchtime rap circles, a place where his ADHD feels like an advantage, and endeavors to take the title of Cypher King. But if he doesn’t find a way to pass summer school, he might not be able to graduate.

REVIEW

I loved this book! As a millennial, it was really cool that this book took place in 1999 with Y2K playing a minor role in the story. Especially since Y2K fashions are back in vogue, this would definitely be an interesting read for teens. The story is written as though we are listening to a transcript of an audio recording, with Pernell speaking directly to future listeners.

This was an enlightening look into the struggles of a Black teen with ADHD, and I loved how he was able to find joy and an outlet for his creativity. I empathized with Pernell’s struggle to do well in a class where the teacher has it out for you. Pernell also feels lonely, since his best friend has already graduated andhas no time to hang out anymore, which also felt very relatable.

This book is a short and easy read, and would be great for reluctant readers. Since it’s written in verse the pages are more white space than text, so it feels very approachable—I remember kids in grade school devouring books written in free verse, like Ellen Hopkins’ Crank, and I think this book will be similarly popular. The audiobook is read by the author and truly elevates the text; I recommend listening while you read along to get the fullest experience.

Thank you to the publishers for the advance copy.