Books like Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones
It is the end of summer in Atlanta, a time that has become a two‑year nightmare as African‑American children vanish and fatal murders mount. Fifth‑grade classmates Tasha Baxter, Rodney Green, and Octavia Harrison find that back‑to‑school means added safety lessons, indoor recess, and a new world invisible to their parents. Their everyday challenges of growing up are entwined with constant fear and news of peers being murdered. Tasha struggles to understand why she is sometimes in favor with classmates, never as outspoken as Rodney or “too dark” like Octavia. A sudden crush on a boy from the wrong side of town forces her to realize how words can heal or wound, and she faces the consequences of her harsh comments as she navigates this tense, lit‑by‑light, coming‑of‑age landscape.
First publish date: 2002
Genre: Suspense/General Suspense
Authors: Tayari Jones
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