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Caprice
From the groundbreaking author of Tyrell, an astonishing middle-grade novel about a girl overcoming the secrets and abuse of her past.
This should be an exciting time for Caprice. She has been offered a place at the school of her dreams, where she's just had a fantastic summer. But this great opportunity coincides with a lot of internal doubt and the disturbing news that her long-estranged grandmother has fallen ill and may be near death. As Caprice tries to figure out her future, she is pulled back toward her past, and the abuse she endured from her uncle when she was little -- an abuse she's never told anyone about.
With extreme sensitivity and honesty for middle-grade readers, Coe Booth has written a painful but ultimately healing novel about finding support from your parents and friends, articulating your truth, and choosing your own path.
This should be an exciting time for Caprice. She has been offered a place at the school of her dreams, where she's just had a fantastic summer. But this great opportunity coincides with a lot of internal doubt and the disturbing news that her long-estranged grandmother has fallen ill and may be near death. As Caprice tries to figure out her future, she is pulled back toward her past, and the abuse she endured from her uncle when she was little -- an abuse she's never told anyone about.
With extreme sensitivity and honesty for middle-grade readers, Coe Booth has written a painful but ultimately healing novel about finding support from your parents and friends, articulating your truth, and choosing your own path.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 17, 2022
11 people are currently reading
1922 people want to read
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May 28, 2022
It's not until I'm inside that I feel I can breathe. I used to be able to do this. I used to be able to keep it together. But more and more, I can't.
I'm losing it. pg. 34
Caprice is just trying to live her normal life. She got an opportunity to spend the summer in class at a rich private all-girls school, and now she's learned she can get a full scholarship for 8th grade AND high school. It would mean leaving her old neighborhood and her old friends behind.
Her parents, who were estranged for a while, are slowly repairing their relationship and getting back together, although her dad is away on business a lot.
But 12-year-old Caprice harbors a dark secret, one she's tried her best to put behind her. Her uncle raped and molested her repeatedly when she lived with him and her grandma as a four-year-old. The grandma threw Caprice and her mother into the street, and they have never looked back, staying away from that part of the family. No one knows about the abuse - only Caprice and her child-raping uncle. Now Grandmother has fallen ill and Mom is talking about going back to see her, and, of course, seeing and reuniting with the whole family....
...
PSA
You may think, "This is disgusting. Why would I ever give a book like this to my child?"
This isn't a book I would give to children as a present. "I got you a gift, it's a book about child molestation!" It's more a book I would hope they would stumble upon in their public or school library. Or in bookshelves at home. It's important, and can be very helpful to children. It's important to educate your children about rape and child abuse (separate from this book and others, you should do education no matter what, this book is optional). Things like teaching your children the proper words for their genitals and tell them that they have a right to say no to physical contact.
They say 1 in 6 American women have been raped, but I'm sorry to say I believe these numbers are quite conservative. I'd say it's closer to 50% or higher. Almost every single female I know has been raped or sexually assaulted, and the ones that haven't I assume have been and just haven't felt comfortable confiding in me about it yet. That's the sad reality. It's easy to be so terrified that you are paralyzed, do nothing, think NOT educating your children about this will protect them. But actually being uneducated makes your children more vulnerable, and children are already VERY, VERY vulnerable. I'm telling you this shit is easy and it's everywhere. No one is licensed to give birth, anyone can have children regardless of circumstances. Homes and folks are not evaluated before a pregnancy. Even if a child has a good and safe home, TONS of adults are going to have access to your children and it's impossible to be with them, supervising them every single moment of their lives (and even if this was possible, it would be very unhealthy). And one day they will be 18, one day they might be going to college, and bad things can happen to adults, too. OK, that's my PSA. Talk to your children. Even if it might be embarrassing to YOU to talk about genitals and inappropriate touching, do so anyway. Teach them about their right to bodily autonomy and let them know that saying 'no' to grown-ups and 'disobedience' is ok when it comes to their bodies. Etc. etc. do research, educate your children, and train them about consent from a young age.
...
BACK TO THE BOOK
The book is not explicit, no abuse happens on page and even in Caprice's memories it is simply hinted at and referenced, not spelled-out or described. In case you were worried.
A good lesson from the book is how Caprice's past of sexual abuse affects her daily life as a 12-year-old. She is uncomfortable wearing any clothing that's even slightly revealing. She works hard to make her appearance as non-sexual as possible. She is not 'boy crazy' like her friends.
I know Nicole doesn't think I understand anything about boys. I never had a boyfriend, and I don't spend all day thinking about getting one. That's true. But that doesn't mean I don't like them. I do.
But it's complicated. pg. 33
In a small miracle, Caprice is still interested in boys. She still likes males and, on some level, wants to someday have a boyfriend. She has a small crush on a classmate named Jarrett, but he's got to meet her on her level.
Everyone thinks she is strange for being so uninterested in boys and so uptight about her appearance. She gets a lot of flak about it. Not because she is 'a weirdo' but because she keeps dressing like she is a girl instead of a young woman and she has seemingly no interest in 'catching boys' attention' like her friends. The mom also never says anything but I think she's slightly concerned that her daughter might not be into boys.
The portrayal of female friendships in this book, especially Caprice's relationship with her closest friend, Nicole, is pretty accurate and realistic. Good job on Booth's part.
I also like how the book addresses sexism as a whole. Caprice, a twelve-year-old, and her friends are regularly catcalled and have disgusting sexual comments made to them. Catcalling is a disgusting form of sexual harassment.
There's also a scene in the book where some of Caprice's male classmates are 'grading' girls on how good their bodies are.
...I hear Frankie whisper, "She's a B-plus now. Nicole, she's still an A."
"Definitely," the other boy, Sheldon, says. "More like an A-plus." And they both laugh.
My mouth flies open and before I can stop myself, I'm spinning around. Nicole grabs my arm and says, "It's nothing. They're stupid."
But I'm not Nicole. And I don't care how stupid they are. You don't have to be smart to respect girls. I can feel my face getting hot. I wanna tell these boys what I should have told those men in the parking lot.
"What's the matter with you?" I yell. Then I shake Nicole's hand off my arm and practically run back over to where Frankie and Sheldon are standing, trying to look cool, like they're not two losers with nothing better to do but stand there judging girls.
Of course, they don't say anything.
"What?" I scream. "YOU'RE so perfect? Who are you to grade us? How would you feel if girls started grading you?"
"I would give you both an F-minus!" Nicole screams. All of a sudden, she's involved, too.
Frankie raises his hands. "Calm down!"
Something about the way he says it, with a smile on his face, makes me even madder. He's treating us like we're weird for getting made when they're the ones who started it.
"I'm not gonna calm down," I yell back, even though I'm like a foot away from him now. "Admit you're wrong and apologize."
The boys look at each other and laugh. pg. 117
I think this book does a really good job of showcasing the patriarchy and how society is designed to grind females down, think their only worth is between their legs, and make them feel like they are sex objects to be used, abused, raped, and discarded. You have to be pretty to be valuable, but if you want to be pretty and make yourself pretty you are a 'wh*re' and 'asking for it.' No matter what, you lose and men win.
Luckily, Booth takes it a little gently in this book for children. In real life, Caprice would be raped, she would never tell anyone. If she DID tell someone, they wouldn't believe her. If they DID believe her, they wouldn't care. If they DID care, they wouldn't prosecute or be unable to prosecute. If they DID prosecute, they would lose. That's how it goes. Society hates women and thinks they are trash. It doesn't value women, and I'm starting to question whether it really values children and their lives at all given recent events.
Instead, since this is a book for kids, Caprice
Caprice's spirit is also admirable. Because of her being a rape survivor, I think she feels like its her duty to protect other children from being raped. I know what you're thinking, she's 12. How is a 12-year-old going to protect other children from being raped? But because Caprice KNOWS what's out there, KNOWS what happens to girls, she becomes kind of a small-form activist. Her teachers and parents think this is her being 'a natural-born leader' but there's absolutely nothing natural about it, it's her desperate attempt to stop the horror she feels about how many men treat women and girls. Examples include her creating a buddy system in grade school so that girls don't have to walk home alone, and as a 12-year-old creating a Woman Group in her community center so that girls can get together and discuss their lives and any issues they want to.
TL;DR I know this topic is disturbing and parents might not see the need in giving this to a child or having it in the family library or school library. But it is very important. Sexual abuse is SO prevalent and SO shameful, oftentimes people take it with them to the grave. You don't want your child to suffer, please talk to him/her about this and educate about bodily autonomy. Whether you want them to read books like this and/or other fictional books about this topic is up to you, but I am IN FAVOR of exposing children to books on all sorts of topics and letting them expand in their knowledge. Perhaps nothing in here will be applicable, and they will not read it. They will put it down, not be interested. Perhaps they will read it, it won't be applicable, but they will file it away in their brains and be able to call upon it in the future when something happens. Or perhaps it will be, unfortunately, necessary and a revelation to them that they are not the only ones.
Either way, it's useful literature, akin to reading Judy Blume or other books that can help children process hard topics. Not that Booth is as skilled as Blume, but she's not bad.
Probably ideal age group is 9-12 for this book.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
I'm losing it. pg. 34
Caprice is just trying to live her normal life. She got an opportunity to spend the summer in class at a rich private all-girls school, and now she's learned she can get a full scholarship for 8th grade AND high school. It would mean leaving her old neighborhood and her old friends behind.
Her parents, who were estranged for a while, are slowly repairing their relationship and getting back together, although her dad is away on business a lot.
But 12-year-old Caprice harbors a dark secret, one she's tried her best to put behind her. Her uncle raped and molested her repeatedly when she lived with him and her grandma as a four-year-old. The grandma threw Caprice and her mother into the street, and they have never looked back, staying away from that part of the family. No one knows about the abuse - only Caprice and her child-raping uncle. Now Grandmother has fallen ill and Mom is talking about going back to see her, and, of course, seeing and reuniting with the whole family....
...
PSA
You may think, "This is disgusting. Why would I ever give a book like this to my child?"
This isn't a book I would give to children as a present. "I got you a gift, it's a book about child molestation!" It's more a book I would hope they would stumble upon in their public or school library. Or in bookshelves at home. It's important, and can be very helpful to children. It's important to educate your children about rape and child abuse (separate from this book and others, you should do education no matter what, this book is optional). Things like teaching your children the proper words for their genitals and tell them that they have a right to say no to physical contact.
They say 1 in 6 American women have been raped, but I'm sorry to say I believe these numbers are quite conservative. I'd say it's closer to 50% or higher. Almost every single female I know has been raped or sexually assaulted, and the ones that haven't I assume have been and just haven't felt comfortable confiding in me about it yet. That's the sad reality. It's easy to be so terrified that you are paralyzed, do nothing, think NOT educating your children about this will protect them. But actually being uneducated makes your children more vulnerable, and children are already VERY, VERY vulnerable. I'm telling you this shit is easy and it's everywhere. No one is licensed to give birth, anyone can have children regardless of circumstances. Homes and folks are not evaluated before a pregnancy. Even if a child has a good and safe home, TONS of adults are going to have access to your children and it's impossible to be with them, supervising them every single moment of their lives (and even if this was possible, it would be very unhealthy). And one day they will be 18, one day they might be going to college, and bad things can happen to adults, too. OK, that's my PSA. Talk to your children. Even if it might be embarrassing to YOU to talk about genitals and inappropriate touching, do so anyway. Teach them about their right to bodily autonomy and let them know that saying 'no' to grown-ups and 'disobedience' is ok when it comes to their bodies. Etc. etc. do research, educate your children, and train them about consent from a young age.
...
BACK TO THE BOOK
The book is not explicit, no abuse happens on page and even in Caprice's memories it is simply hinted at and referenced, not spelled-out or described. In case you were worried.
A good lesson from the book is how Caprice's past of sexual abuse affects her daily life as a 12-year-old. She is uncomfortable wearing any clothing that's even slightly revealing. She works hard to make her appearance as non-sexual as possible. She is not 'boy crazy' like her friends.
I know Nicole doesn't think I understand anything about boys. I never had a boyfriend, and I don't spend all day thinking about getting one. That's true. But that doesn't mean I don't like them. I do.
But it's complicated. pg. 33
In a small miracle, Caprice is still interested in boys. She still likes males and, on some level, wants to someday have a boyfriend. She has a small crush on a classmate named Jarrett, but he's got to meet her on her level.
Everyone thinks she is strange for being so uninterested in boys and so uptight about her appearance. She gets a lot of flak about it. Not because she is 'a weirdo' but because she keeps dressing like she is a girl instead of a young woman and she has seemingly no interest in 'catching boys' attention' like her friends. The mom also never says anything but I think she's slightly concerned that her daughter might not be into boys.
The portrayal of female friendships in this book, especially Caprice's relationship with her closest friend, Nicole, is pretty accurate and realistic. Good job on Booth's part.
I also like how the book addresses sexism as a whole. Caprice, a twelve-year-old, and her friends are regularly catcalled and have disgusting sexual comments made to them. Catcalling is a disgusting form of sexual harassment.
There's also a scene in the book where some of Caprice's male classmates are 'grading' girls on how good their bodies are.
...I hear Frankie whisper, "She's a B-plus now. Nicole, she's still an A."
"Definitely," the other boy, Sheldon, says. "More like an A-plus." And they both laugh.
My mouth flies open and before I can stop myself, I'm spinning around. Nicole grabs my arm and says, "It's nothing. They're stupid."
But I'm not Nicole. And I don't care how stupid they are. You don't have to be smart to respect girls. I can feel my face getting hot. I wanna tell these boys what I should have told those men in the parking lot.
"What's the matter with you?" I yell. Then I shake Nicole's hand off my arm and practically run back over to where Frankie and Sheldon are standing, trying to look cool, like they're not two losers with nothing better to do but stand there judging girls.
Of course, they don't say anything.
"What?" I scream. "YOU'RE so perfect? Who are you to grade us? How would you feel if girls started grading you?"
"I would give you both an F-minus!" Nicole screams. All of a sudden, she's involved, too.
Frankie raises his hands. "Calm down!"
Something about the way he says it, with a smile on his face, makes me even madder. He's treating us like we're weird for getting made when they're the ones who started it.
"I'm not gonna calm down," I yell back, even though I'm like a foot away from him now. "Admit you're wrong and apologize."
The boys look at each other and laugh. pg. 117
I think this book does a really good job of showcasing the patriarchy and how society is designed to grind females down, think their only worth is between their legs, and make them feel like they are sex objects to be used, abused, raped, and discarded. You have to be pretty to be valuable, but if you want to be pretty and make yourself pretty you are a 'wh*re' and 'asking for it.' No matter what, you lose and men win.
Luckily, Booth takes it a little gently in this book for children. In real life, Caprice would be raped, she would never tell anyone. If she DID tell someone, they wouldn't believe her. If they DID believe her, they wouldn't care. If they DID care, they wouldn't prosecute or be unable to prosecute. If they DID prosecute, they would lose. That's how it goes. Society hates women and thinks they are trash. It doesn't value women, and I'm starting to question whether it really values children and their lives at all given recent events.
Instead, since this is a book for kids, Caprice
Caprice's spirit is also admirable. Because of her being a rape survivor, I think she feels like its her duty to protect other children from being raped. I know what you're thinking, she's 12. How is a 12-year-old going to protect other children from being raped? But because Caprice KNOWS what's out there, KNOWS what happens to girls, she becomes kind of a small-form activist. Her teachers and parents think this is her being 'a natural-born leader' but there's absolutely nothing natural about it, it's her desperate attempt to stop the horror she feels about how many men treat women and girls. Examples include her creating a buddy system in grade school so that girls don't have to walk home alone, and as a 12-year-old creating a Woman Group in her community center so that girls can get together and discuss their lives and any issues they want to.
TL;DR I know this topic is disturbing and parents might not see the need in giving this to a child or having it in the family library or school library. But it is very important. Sexual abuse is SO prevalent and SO shameful, oftentimes people take it with them to the grave. You don't want your child to suffer, please talk to him/her about this and educate about bodily autonomy. Whether you want them to read books like this and/or other fictional books about this topic is up to you, but I am IN FAVOR of exposing children to books on all sorts of topics and letting them expand in their knowledge. Perhaps nothing in here will be applicable, and they will not read it. They will put it down, not be interested. Perhaps they will read it, it won't be applicable, but they will file it away in their brains and be able to call upon it in the future when something happens. Or perhaps it will be, unfortunately, necessary and a revelation to them that they are not the only ones.
Either way, it's useful literature, akin to reading Judy Blume or other books that can help children process hard topics. Not that Booth is as skilled as Blume, but she's not bad.
Probably ideal age group is 9-12 for this book.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
March 15, 2022
Coe Booth's work has been at the absolute center of my librarianship since Tyrell came out in 2006. In Caprice, she has created another unforgettable character who mirrors real-life kids whose stories are rarely reflected. With her taut writing, Booth creates Caprice mostly through a self-lacerating inner monologue that doesn't match up with how others see her: the perfect kid, a big success, a leader. Caprice is aware of this dichotomy, and works incredibly hard to 'keep it together'.
Without being didactic at all, Booth offers kids some really important gifts in Caprice. 1) it's not your fault 2) you don't have to hold it alone 3) you can decide 4) you can change your mind. This is the kind of thing every 14-year-old needs to hear, no matter what they have or haven't been through.
I could say more, but this review is already too long. In short, Caprice is essential, awe-inspiring, and an instant classic.
Without being didactic at all, Booth offers kids some really important gifts in Caprice. 1) it's not your fault 2) you don't have to hold it alone 3) you can decide 4) you can change your mind. This is the kind of thing every 14-year-old needs to hear, no matter what they have or haven't been through.
I could say more, but this review is already too long. In short, Caprice is essential, awe-inspiring, and an instant classic.
May 22, 2022
What a thought provoking and raw story.
It is no secret we are living in harsh times, not only adults are suffering but we cannot forget children can hurt the most. Going into this book I knew it was going to be an emotional journey, but it is a story full of ups and downs and teaches us to always prioritize what is important in each of our lives.
We meet Caprice, she is well mature beyond her years, she is an amazing daughter and incredible student but you can't deny, she is keeping a very dark and sad secret from her friends and family. She is offered an incredible scholar opportunity in a well respected school and she is torn between saying yes and telling her friends back home. The story is told through Caprice's point of view and you can't help at just wanting to shelter her and protect her, in her short but eventful life, she's had to suffer abuse in the hands of her uncle and the trauma left by this event.
This story was so well done, the author was extremely sensitive and made it so that it was approachable for middle grade readers. When you read this book, you will follow Caprice and her way of thinking, how she puts her family before her and how she will overcome this tumultuous stage if her life.
It is no secret we are living in harsh times, not only adults are suffering but we cannot forget children can hurt the most. Going into this book I knew it was going to be an emotional journey, but it is a story full of ups and downs and teaches us to always prioritize what is important in each of our lives.
We meet Caprice, she is well mature beyond her years, she is an amazing daughter and incredible student but you can't deny, she is keeping a very dark and sad secret from her friends and family. She is offered an incredible scholar opportunity in a well respected school and she is torn between saying yes and telling her friends back home. The story is told through Caprice's point of view and you can't help at just wanting to shelter her and protect her, in her short but eventful life, she's had to suffer abuse in the hands of her uncle and the trauma left by this event.
This story was so well done, the author was extremely sensitive and made it so that it was approachable for middle grade readers. When you read this book, you will follow Caprice and her way of thinking, how she puts her family before her and how she will overcome this tumultuous stage if her life.
June 18, 2022
Some books are hard to do justice with a review.
Caprice is a pre-teen girl who has just spent a wonderful summer as a guest at a wonderful private school. She seems to have found her “niche”, trying out interesting classes and making new friends. It also provides her a respite from worrying about her parents’ relationship and the failure of their business. When Caprice is offered a fall scholarship, she is torn. Should she leave everyone and everything she’s ever known? But how can she turn down such an offer?
Whether Caprice goes or stays, she knows that there is one dark place in her life that she can never reveal to anyone, in either place. There is a secret that she has kept buried for years, but as she matures and her circumstances change, she is not sure how much longer she can push the memories away. And Caprice’s secret is beginning to eat away at her ability to function normally…
Trigger Warnings:
Sexual abuse of a young child (mentioned non-graphically in flashbacks)
Caprice is a pre-teen girl who has just spent a wonderful summer as a guest at a wonderful private school. She seems to have found her “niche”, trying out interesting classes and making new friends. It also provides her a respite from worrying about her parents’ relationship and the failure of their business. When Caprice is offered a fall scholarship, she is torn. Should she leave everyone and everything she’s ever known? But how can she turn down such an offer?
Whether Caprice goes or stays, she knows that there is one dark place in her life that she can never reveal to anyone, in either place. There is a secret that she has kept buried for years, but as she matures and her circumstances change, she is not sure how much longer she can push the memories away. And Caprice’s secret is beginning to eat away at her ability to function normally…
Trigger Warnings:
Sexual abuse of a young child (mentioned non-graphically in flashbacks)
March 1, 2022
EDIT: does NOT release today. Releases 5/17.
.
Thx to @scholasticinc for the ARC. Caprice is headed home after an incredible summer experience, a leadership program for teen girls. Even better, she’s been offered a scholarship to attend the school full time as a boarding student. Caprice has mixed feelings, however. How can she leave her family and friends? Caprice is also dealing with confusing feelings and memories about when she and her mother lived with her grandmother and uncle. She’s starting to remember things her uncle did to her that made her uncomfortable and led to a terrifying incident where she was lost in the city as a young child. Her neighborhood community center, a place that has activities for all ages and where she goes to connect with her friends, offers a poetry workshop that helps bring Caprice’s memories to the surface and helps her make sense of the trauma she endured. Meanwhile, Caprice’s best friend Nicole is pushing Caprice to begin dating, but Caprice isn’t sure she’s ready. Caprice has big decisions to make. Should she tell her family about the abuse? Should she leave her community to attend a boarding school?
.
.
.
Thoughtfully written and impossible to put down. Caprice’s strong support network (the community center especially!) is a highlight of this book. First person prose is interspersed with poetry, flashback scenes (in italics), and text message conversations. Highly recommended for all middle school collections.
.
.
.
Understandably, there aren’t that many middle grade books that deal with sexual abuse. It is a difficult topic to write about and yet having books about childhood sexual abuse is an important way to end the silence and help reduce shame around the issue. The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbott, Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, The Ship we Built by Lexie Bean and When You Know What I Know by Sonja Solter are some other middle grade books that deal with this topic. I’m glad this one is being added to those ranks.
.
Thx to @scholasticinc for the ARC. Caprice is headed home after an incredible summer experience, a leadership program for teen girls. Even better, she’s been offered a scholarship to attend the school full time as a boarding student. Caprice has mixed feelings, however. How can she leave her family and friends? Caprice is also dealing with confusing feelings and memories about when she and her mother lived with her grandmother and uncle. She’s starting to remember things her uncle did to her that made her uncomfortable and led to a terrifying incident where she was lost in the city as a young child. Her neighborhood community center, a place that has activities for all ages and where she goes to connect with her friends, offers a poetry workshop that helps bring Caprice’s memories to the surface and helps her make sense of the trauma she endured. Meanwhile, Caprice’s best friend Nicole is pushing Caprice to begin dating, but Caprice isn’t sure she’s ready. Caprice has big decisions to make. Should she tell her family about the abuse? Should she leave her community to attend a boarding school?
.
.
.
Thoughtfully written and impossible to put down. Caprice’s strong support network (the community center especially!) is a highlight of this book. First person prose is interspersed with poetry, flashback scenes (in italics), and text message conversations. Highly recommended for all middle school collections.
.
.
.
Understandably, there aren’t that many middle grade books that deal with sexual abuse. It is a difficult topic to write about and yet having books about childhood sexual abuse is an important way to end the silence and help reduce shame around the issue. The Summer of Owen Todd by Tony Abbott, Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, The Ship we Built by Lexie Bean and When You Know What I Know by Sonja Solter are some other middle grade books that deal with this topic. I’m glad this one is being added to those ranks.
March 2, 2024
This middle grade book looks honestly at Caprice while she is making decisions about her future and also trying to cone to terms with her past. Caprice is a likeable character who questions her long term friendship with Nicole as she moves into eighth grade. I highly recommend the audio.
May 29, 2022
Bahni Turpin is one of my favorite narrators so I jumped at the chance to listen to Caprice by Coe Booth. While this is my first book of hers, it will not be my last. I loved the depth of characters, especially the main character Caprice. I felt myself empathizing with her throughout the story. What should be one of the happiest times of her life turns out to be one of the most difficult as she decides which path to take.
The story begins with her return from a summer at her dream school and with her estranged grandmother falling ill. As she decides whether or not to return to the school in the fall, she must first return home. While there she struggles to make sense of the abuse she endured while deciding if she should speak out or not. Be true to herself or not.
I love the sensitivity and honesty used in this book along with the messaging that you should tell. Being honest, while difficult, is freeing and the best way to heal.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley
The story begins with her return from a summer at her dream school and with her estranged grandmother falling ill. As she decides whether or not to return to the school in the fall, she must first return home. While there she struggles to make sense of the abuse she endured while deciding if she should speak out or not. Be true to herself or not.
I love the sensitivity and honesty used in this book along with the messaging that you should tell. Being honest, while difficult, is freeing and the best way to heal.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley
October 24, 2022
Issue novels have to strike a delicate balance, no matter the audience, and this MG offering does a good job of addressing sexual abuse. The sections that talk about Caprice's abuse by an uncle are raw and devastating. They're descriptive enough that it's clear what's happening, but they're not graphic. The panic attacks Caprice experiences as a 12-year-old (eight years later) and her confusion over how and why her trauma is manifesting itself now feels realistic. Her realization of the role her grandma played in her abuse is heartbreaking, adding another layer to the situation which helps explain why it can be so difficult for abuse victims to speak out about what's happened to them. All of this is very weighty material for a MG novel, but the book does emphasize hope and healing. When Caprice feels ready to tell people about her abuse, she goes to her circle of trusted friends and family, all of whom are supportive and loving, even when they're not sure exactly what to do about the situation. In the end, they aid her in getting the professional help she needs.
The rest of the book's plot concerns Caprice's looming decision about whether to attend a fancy boarding school on scholarship or stay in her familiar Newark neighborhood. In one way, nothing seems to have changed with her friends and their petty dramas while on the other hand, everything is changing, including her body, her parents' separation, and a friend who wants to be more. Caprice isn't sure what she wants or where she fits in. While (hopefully) not all young readers will relate to Caprice's abuse, they surely will see themselves in these familiar growing-up struggles.
One interesting thing Booth explores in the book is the paradox of girls wanting to attract the attention of the opposite sex (for instance, Caprice's BFF tells her to wear shorts so she can show off her legs to boys), then being mad when they do just that (the same friend is angry when she overhears a group of boys "grading" girls' bodies). I hope this leads to frank discussions about sexual attraction, how to deal with catcalls/aggressive flirting, what constitutes sexual harrassment, etc.
CAPRICE also talks a lot about Caprice's BFF's new boyfriend and whether he's "the one" or not as well as Caprice's developing relationships with boys who want to hold and kiss her. While I am adamantly against children this age being boyfriend/girlfriend, Caprice's mother and her mother's BFF are both EXCITED to learn Caprice is out on the street kissing a boy. Maybe I'm an anomaly, but if my 12-year-old was doing that, I would not only be less than thrilled, but I would also be having a serious conversation with her about appropriate behavior! I'm just saying this didn't ring true to me and I have problems with MG books that encourage pre-teens and young teens to seek out serious relationships or feel like something's wrong with them if they don't find their soulmate in junior high.
I think CAPRICE addresses an important issue (sexual abuse) in a way that is appropriate for a MG audience. It encourages them to feel their feelings about their trauma, but also to get help from people they trust. These sections are strong and moving, while the rest of the story is less so, making the read feel a bit uneven to me. I got bored with Caprice's friend drama and irritated with all the talk of her BFF's big romance. While I liked that these other conflicts provided a lighter counterpoint to the novel's main, heavy issue, the sections didn't feel as cohesive as I would have liked. On the whole, then, this was just an okay read for me. Some of it is very powerful; other parts are pretty humdrum. If I could, I would give CAPRICE 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
The rest of the book's plot concerns Caprice's looming decision about whether to attend a fancy boarding school on scholarship or stay in her familiar Newark neighborhood. In one way, nothing seems to have changed with her friends and their petty dramas while on the other hand, everything is changing, including her body, her parents' separation, and a friend who wants to be more. Caprice isn't sure what she wants or where she fits in. While (hopefully) not all young readers will relate to Caprice's abuse, they surely will see themselves in these familiar growing-up struggles.
One interesting thing Booth explores in the book is the paradox of girls wanting to attract the attention of the opposite sex (for instance, Caprice's BFF tells her to wear shorts so she can show off her legs to boys), then being mad when they do just that (the same friend is angry when she overhears a group of boys "grading" girls' bodies). I hope this leads to frank discussions about sexual attraction, how to deal with catcalls/aggressive flirting, what constitutes sexual harrassment, etc.
CAPRICE also talks a lot about Caprice's BFF's new boyfriend and whether he's "the one" or not as well as Caprice's developing relationships with boys who want to hold and kiss her. While I am adamantly against children this age being boyfriend/girlfriend, Caprice's mother and her mother's BFF are both EXCITED to learn Caprice is out on the street kissing a boy. Maybe I'm an anomaly, but if my 12-year-old was doing that, I would not only be less than thrilled, but I would also be having a serious conversation with her about appropriate behavior! I'm just saying this didn't ring true to me and I have problems with MG books that encourage pre-teens and young teens to seek out serious relationships or feel like something's wrong with them if they don't find their soulmate in junior high.
I think CAPRICE addresses an important issue (sexual abuse) in a way that is appropriate for a MG audience. It encourages them to feel their feelings about their trauma, but also to get help from people they trust. These sections are strong and moving, while the rest of the story is less so, making the read feel a bit uneven to me. I got bored with Caprice's friend drama and irritated with all the talk of her BFF's big romance. While I liked that these other conflicts provided a lighter counterpoint to the novel's main, heavy issue, the sections didn't feel as cohesive as I would have liked. On the whole, then, this was just an okay read for me. Some of it is very powerful; other parts are pretty humdrum. If I could, I would give CAPRICE 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
November 14, 2022
I love Coe Booth and I'm happy she's back - it's been a while! Caprice just returned to Newark after spending the summer after 7th grade at an all-girl's school in upstate New York. She has one week to decide if she will return to attend 8th grade at the school or stay in Newark. Teen readers are going to understand the pull of the two different worlds and why the choice is so difficult. Caprice is also struggling with a past secret that is beginning to overwhelm to her. The book is appropriate for mature 6th graders and above although a trigger warning might be necessary for some because of the secret.
August 14, 2022
3.5. I think this a really strong novel that tackles it's material well. I can see myself in Caprice.
August 22, 2022
5 stars - brb I'm fucking sobbing
January 25, 2023
This book is amazing.
April 8, 2023
both heartbreaking and empowering. Booth does an incredible job at capturing and conveying Caprice's feelings, thoughts and responses to her life experiences and trauma.
Incredible.
Incredible.
January 27, 2024
A powerful coming of age story told by a seventh grade black girl.
Read
January 31, 2025Really really powerful. Coe Booth handled an incredibly difficult topic with grace.
October 1, 2022
Hard topic written in a sensitive way. Finished the last few pages while a class was in the library. A group of girls asked what it was about and one immediately asked to check it out. I hope it will help them empathize or speak out themselves. We need more stories to reach more kids' realities.
February 19, 2024
This is a tough but well-done and important read that addresses sexual abuse on the middle grade level. Kids who have gone through this will find comfort in Patrice’s reflections and eventual courage to speak the truth. I’m grateful we have such a relatable, high quality read on such a difficult subject, and one that is very hard to get right for kids.
August 13, 2022
Great book of a black teen growing up and branching out due to a several week-long summer camp at an all girl boarding school. She loves it and it torn between accepting a scholarship to return after the summer has ended or stay home with her friends and fractured family. Due to a crush's kiss on her last day of camp and her ailing grandmother's health, she is forced to confront some childhood sexual abuse/trauma at the hands of her uncle and the possibilty that her grandmother has been protecting her son at the expense of her own granddaughter.
April 3, 2024
The easiest five stars I have handed out in awhile. I listened to this one in one sitting. Was it because of master narrator, Bahni Turpin, or Coe Booth's writing style? We may never know, but I do know I have been encouraging all of my middle grade readers to add this one to their TBR list because it's one of those stories that needs to be told.
Based on the title and cover, I was expecting a light-hearted middle grade story but this book is nothing like that. Caprice has a fantastic support system around her between her family and her friends, yet she is unable to share the dark truth about her relationship with her uncle. When her grandmother becomes ill and Caprice encounters her uncle in the hospital, she is forced to deal with the memories/reality she thought she had dealt with when she was younger.
This book was so well handled and incredibly age appropriate for middle grade readers. I really liked how Caprice's story came out in pieces rather than all at once. This allows for the reader to acclimate themselves with Caprice's story rather than feeling like they were dumped on. Watching Caprice gain the confidence and strength to share her story was not only empowering but also felt realistic in terms of how long it would take to come to terms with and share with other family members.
This book would be interesting to pair with Fighting Words. How do these character's experiences relate? How are they different? Does having a strong support system in place make it any easier to process trauma? All good things to think about and discuss with young readers.
TW: child sexual assault
Based on the title and cover, I was expecting a light-hearted middle grade story but this book is nothing like that. Caprice has a fantastic support system around her between her family and her friends, yet she is unable to share the dark truth about her relationship with her uncle. When her grandmother becomes ill and Caprice encounters her uncle in the hospital, she is forced to deal with the memories/reality she thought she had dealt with when she was younger.
This book was so well handled and incredibly age appropriate for middle grade readers. I really liked how Caprice's story came out in pieces rather than all at once. This allows for the reader to acclimate themselves with Caprice's story rather than feeling like they were dumped on. Watching Caprice gain the confidence and strength to share her story was not only empowering but also felt realistic in terms of how long it would take to come to terms with and share with other family members.
This book would be interesting to pair with Fighting Words. How do these character's experiences relate? How are they different? Does having a strong support system in place make it any easier to process trauma? All good things to think about and discuss with young readers.
TW: child sexual assault
February 22, 2022
It's Speak for a Black middle grade audience which is still powerful and will remain powerful in finding your voice when trauma has silenced it. For Caprice, sharing who did it and what actually transpired takes the book to unfold and the family to come to some realizations that have been secrets that keep Caprice silent.
The opportunity to attend a Leadership school during the school year after attending it for the summer camp is an enticing prospect for her and starts the book out. Yet, it was unevenly applied throughout the book- the significance of this opportunity or why it was necessary to add it in the first place other than to set her apart from her friends back home. Also unevenly applied were the flashbacks in italics, the occasional verse reflection, and the narrative which didn't all fuse together into a powerful narrative. The flashbacks were obviously there to build suspense especially when the sections are dated/timed to do the same thing. So the addition of the verse was misplaced.
But for a middle grade audience this is important like Fighting Words which came out a few years ago because this isn't a taboo subject and needs to be brought into the light. The full face image of Caprice on the cover is enchanting and instantly provides connection to who she is and why readers should care.
I'm glad Booth is writing because it feels like it's been too long.
The opportunity to attend a Leadership school during the school year after attending it for the summer camp is an enticing prospect for her and starts the book out. Yet, it was unevenly applied throughout the book- the significance of this opportunity or why it was necessary to add it in the first place other than to set her apart from her friends back home. Also unevenly applied were the flashbacks in italics, the occasional verse reflection, and the narrative which didn't all fuse together into a powerful narrative. The flashbacks were obviously there to build suspense especially when the sections are dated/timed to do the same thing. So the addition of the verse was misplaced.
But for a middle grade audience this is important like Fighting Words which came out a few years ago because this isn't a taboo subject and needs to be brought into the light. The full face image of Caprice on the cover is enchanting and instantly provides connection to who she is and why readers should care.
I'm glad Booth is writing because it feels like it's been too long.
May 18, 2022
More like a 2.5.
I deducted points because this book does what too many YA/Middle-grade books about sexual abuse do: It's not enough that the girl is/was being abused, it's that she has to contend with an evil, sexist world constantly trying to keep her down.
Mentioning that Caprice is nervous and wary around men and boys makes complete sense in context- as a victim of abuse, her view of sex and being viewed as attractive by men as threatening is 100% understandable. It makes sense within the context of her character and her story.
If it were totally, or mostly, confined to Caprice's potentially unreliable POV, I would feel differently. But inserting comments like "we girls have so much more to deal with in life than boys" and having stuff like a scene where the boys are "rating" the girls bodies makes me roll my eyes, because that is a plot that is engineered towards a very familiar, very stereotypical narrative that I just don't have patience for anymore in books.
I deducted points because this book does what too many YA/Middle-grade books about sexual abuse do: It's not enough that the girl is/was being abused, it's that she has to contend with an evil, sexist world constantly trying to keep her down.
Mentioning that Caprice is nervous and wary around men and boys makes complete sense in context- as a victim of abuse, her view of sex and being viewed as attractive by men as threatening is 100% understandable. It makes sense within the context of her character and her story.
If it were totally, or mostly, confined to Caprice's potentially unreliable POV, I would feel differently. But inserting comments like "we girls have so much more to deal with in life than boys" and having stuff like a scene where the boys are "rating" the girls bodies makes me roll my eyes, because that is a plot that is engineered towards a very familiar, very stereotypical narrative that I just don't have patience for anymore in books.
October 30, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
*Some spoilers, but they are in the book description as well. *
Caprice has spent seven weeks at a leadership camp on the campus of the elite Ainsley International School. She enjoyed it, but is a bit homesick for her Newark neighborhoodand best friend Nicole. When she is offered a full tuition scholarship to the school starting in a few weeks, her parents are thrilled. It's a great opportunity, and the family has been struggling since the family security business hasn't done well recently, and the father has to travel and work away from home a lot. While she is home trying to decide, her mother recieves news that her own mother is gravely ill and needs help. Unfortunately, the two have been estranged ever since an episode when Caprice's father was in the military and she and her mother werestaying with her grandmother and uncle in Baltimore. Four-year-old Caprice ran away and was missing for some hours, and the grandmother kicked the two out. We find out that there is more to this story; Caprice's uncle was sexually abusing her. This has left Caprice with some PTSD, which manifests itself in ways that those around her don't understand, since she has never told anyone about the abuse. She can't decide whether or not to attend the school, but spends some time at home at the neighborhood recreation center, working to establish a club for girls and doing other positive things for the area. When she and her mother have to travel to Baltimore to deal with the grandmother, her past becomes all too present, and she finally has to face and deal with the issues from her past in order to go forward in her life.
Strengths: First of all, I love the cover! The colors are great, and look closely for the silhouette of Caprice's four-year-old self in her eyes. The pull between a posh academic experience and her comfortable home life made for a lot of tension, especially when there was a budding romance for Caprice at home thrown in. The family's financial problems are realistic and dealt with well. Nicole was a fantastically supportive friend, and I appreciated that she told her mother what Caprice had shared about her past in order to get her friend the help she needed. There is more detail about the abuse than there are in some books (talk of clothing being removed and touching occurring), although there are no graphic details. This is a delicate balance, but I appreciate it when children with some knowledge will know what occurred, but children without that knowledge won't find out anything they don't know. (If that makes sense.) The adults are supportive, ask questions, and act appropriately when details are revealed. Booth has tackeled other tough issues, and does so in a timely and helpful way.
Weaknesses: I had some trouble with the time line for some reason. Camp was almost the whole summer, so the book must have taken place during about three weeks, but those three weeks were really packed for Caprice. I would have thought the school would have needed an answer sooner, but maybe it just had space for a new student and didn't need to rush her.
What I really think: This is a good book to add to other titles that address issues of abuse, like Carter's How to Be a Girl in the World (2020), Bradley's Fighting Words (2020), Messner's Chirp (2020) Chase's So Done (2018).
*Some spoilers, but they are in the book description as well. *
Caprice has spent seven weeks at a leadership camp on the campus of the elite Ainsley International School. She enjoyed it, but is a bit homesick for her Newark neighborhoodand best friend Nicole. When she is offered a full tuition scholarship to the school starting in a few weeks, her parents are thrilled. It's a great opportunity, and the family has been struggling since the family security business hasn't done well recently, and the father has to travel and work away from home a lot. While she is home trying to decide, her mother recieves news that her own mother is gravely ill and needs help. Unfortunately, the two have been estranged ever since an episode when Caprice's father was in the military and she and her mother werestaying with her grandmother and uncle in Baltimore. Four-year-old Caprice ran away and was missing for some hours, and the grandmother kicked the two out. We find out that there is more to this story; Caprice's uncle was sexually abusing her. This has left Caprice with some PTSD, which manifests itself in ways that those around her don't understand, since she has never told anyone about the abuse. She can't decide whether or not to attend the school, but spends some time at home at the neighborhood recreation center, working to establish a club for girls and doing other positive things for the area. When she and her mother have to travel to Baltimore to deal with the grandmother, her past becomes all too present, and she finally has to face and deal with the issues from her past in order to go forward in her life.
Strengths: First of all, I love the cover! The colors are great, and look closely for the silhouette of Caprice's four-year-old self in her eyes. The pull between a posh academic experience and her comfortable home life made for a lot of tension, especially when there was a budding romance for Caprice at home thrown in. The family's financial problems are realistic and dealt with well. Nicole was a fantastically supportive friend, and I appreciated that she told her mother what Caprice had shared about her past in order to get her friend the help she needed. There is more detail about the abuse than there are in some books (talk of clothing being removed and touching occurring), although there are no graphic details. This is a delicate balance, but I appreciate it when children with some knowledge will know what occurred, but children without that knowledge won't find out anything they don't know. (If that makes sense.) The adults are supportive, ask questions, and act appropriately when details are revealed. Booth has tackeled other tough issues, and does so in a timely and helpful way.
Weaknesses: I had some trouble with the time line for some reason. Camp was almost the whole summer, so the book must have taken place during about three weeks, but those three weeks were really packed for Caprice. I would have thought the school would have needed an answer sooner, but maybe it just had space for a new student and didn't need to rush her.
What I really think: This is a good book to add to other titles that address issues of abuse, like Carter's How to Be a Girl in the World (2020), Bradley's Fighting Words (2020), Messner's Chirp (2020) Chase's So Done (2018).
October 30, 2022
What it's about: Caprice has been enjoying her summer program at an elite private school, but it's time to return to her home. As much as she's going to miss her new friends and the gorgeous school, Caprice has missed her best friend and her parents. And she won't miss the fact that she won't have to explain why she freaked out at the party the night before.
As Caprice tries to settle back in to her home life, with eighth grade just a week off, Caprice finds herself with a huge choice to make: She's been invited to attend the private boarding school as a full-time student on scholarship. But if she does, it would mean giving up her plans with her best friend, and her slowly evolving feelings for that newly-cool boy from school everyone thinks is sweet on her.
As Caprice wrestles with her choice, she is also wrestling with her feelings. It seems like all the girls her age are into showing off their bodies and getting boyfriends, which Caprice is definitely not into. While a part of her wants to be into these things, she worries that what happened to her in the past will prevent her from ever being able to.
And then Caprice's past comes rushing back into the present: her estranged grandmother falls very ill, and Caprice's mom says they must go stay at her house until they know if she'll make it.
The last time Caprice was at her grandmothers was the night her grandmother kicked out Caprice and her mother. It was the night that four year old Caprice was feared kidnapped, and turned up walking in the winter night alone and with no shoes. It was a night that Caprice will never forget.
As Caprice tries to figure out how to deal with a trauma in her past, she finds herself pulled in too many directions, until she finally loses her cool and a long-buried secret comes tumbling out.
What I thought: I pulled this book off the shelf after seeing that it was a middle grades book with a subject heading "sexual assault" - I was wondering how such a difficult topic would be handled in a book for middle grades readers.
I'm glad I picked this one up, because Caprice's story is both heart-warming and heart-breaking. She is a young teen trying to figure out how to navigate some very difficult waters on her own, which is unfortunate, and which causes her multiple problems. But she eventually realizes that she can't keep her terrible secret forever - but more importantly, she doesn't have to. She finds the help she needs, and I hope that middle grade readers who need this story will find the help they need, too.
Why my chosen shelves: trigger, abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, mental health: It is eventually revealed that Caprice was sexually assaulted by a relative, and she has a PTSD-like reaction just before the book's beginning; BIPOC, Black, minority, diverse: Most of the characters in the story are Black; coming of age, middle grades: Caprice is struggling to figure out how to reconcile her past with her desire to be like her friends as they grow up; education, school: Caprice thinks a lot about school and her education; romance: Caprice has a slowly budding relationship; friendship: Caprice finds that her friends, both old and new, are there for her when she needs them;
Why I rated it like I did: This is a wonderfully thoughtful, sensitive story. It's engaging while also helping younger readers see that they don't have to carry secrets - they can, and should, get help. This story also highlights some very deep and loving connections between family, and between friends. This story would make a great model for how relationships should - and shouldn't - be in our lives.
The end matter includes hotline numbers that teens can use to get help. And the author's note reveals that she was a social worker, where she saw stories similar to those of the characters in this book play out.
As Caprice tries to settle back in to her home life, with eighth grade just a week off, Caprice finds herself with a huge choice to make: She's been invited to attend the private boarding school as a full-time student on scholarship. But if she does, it would mean giving up her plans with her best friend, and her slowly evolving feelings for that newly-cool boy from school everyone thinks is sweet on her.
As Caprice wrestles with her choice, she is also wrestling with her feelings. It seems like all the girls her age are into showing off their bodies and getting boyfriends, which Caprice is definitely not into. While a part of her wants to be into these things, she worries that what happened to her in the past will prevent her from ever being able to.
And then Caprice's past comes rushing back into the present: her estranged grandmother falls very ill, and Caprice's mom says they must go stay at her house until they know if she'll make it.
The last time Caprice was at her grandmothers was the night her grandmother kicked out Caprice and her mother. It was the night that four year old Caprice was feared kidnapped, and turned up walking in the winter night alone and with no shoes. It was a night that Caprice will never forget.
As Caprice tries to figure out how to deal with a trauma in her past, she finds herself pulled in too many directions, until she finally loses her cool and a long-buried secret comes tumbling out.
What I thought: I pulled this book off the shelf after seeing that it was a middle grades book with a subject heading "sexual assault" - I was wondering how such a difficult topic would be handled in a book for middle grades readers.
I'm glad I picked this one up, because Caprice's story is both heart-warming and heart-breaking. She is a young teen trying to figure out how to navigate some very difficult waters on her own, which is unfortunate, and which causes her multiple problems. But she eventually realizes that she can't keep her terrible secret forever - but more importantly, she doesn't have to. She finds the help she needs, and I hope that middle grade readers who need this story will find the help they need, too.
Why my chosen shelves: trigger, abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, mental health: It is eventually revealed that Caprice was sexually assaulted by a relative, and she has a PTSD-like reaction just before the book's beginning; BIPOC, Black, minority, diverse: Most of the characters in the story are Black; coming of age, middle grades: Caprice is struggling to figure out how to reconcile her past with her desire to be like her friends as they grow up; education, school: Caprice thinks a lot about school and her education; romance: Caprice has a slowly budding relationship; friendship: Caprice finds that her friends, both old and new, are there for her when she needs them;
Why I rated it like I did: This is a wonderfully thoughtful, sensitive story. It's engaging while also helping younger readers see that they don't have to carry secrets - they can, and should, get help. This story also highlights some very deep and loving connections between family, and between friends. This story would make a great model for how relationships should - and shouldn't - be in our lives.
The end matter includes hotline numbers that teens can use to get help. And the author's note reveals that she was a social worker, where she saw stories similar to those of the characters in this book play out.
April 28, 2022
Heartwarming and heart wrenching, Coe Booth’s terrific novel, Caprice, tackles the subject of sexual abuse and consent with sensitivity, insight, and heart. Told from the first person perspective of Caprice, the novel opens as our wise, mature-beyond-her-years protagonist, on the cusp of eighth grade, has just completed a fulfilling summer program at college-preparatory school Ainsley International, the school of her dreams. To her surprise, the school director offers her admission and a scholarship that extends through senior year, and while Caprice feels elated at her amazing academic prospect, several significant challenges cloud her happiness. Sexually molested by her maternal uncle Raymond when she was four, Caprice has harbored her dark secret for years. However, the sexual abuse and painful, unvoiced memories have traumatized her, creating trust issues, panic attacks, and anxiety, and unsurprisingly, are haunting her first tentative forays into romance. In addition, Caprice must navigate the complex, complicated web of human relationships, experience puberty and her changing identity, cope with her parents’ marital tension and financial woes, not to mention possible impending divorce, and grapple with guilt over accepting Ainsley’s offer, at the cost of abandoning her best friend and beloved Newark community. Then Caprice’s maternal grandmother, who knew about her son’s pathological behavior, but never openly confronted the abuse, falls gravely ill, causing Caprice’s buried memories to resurface. Readers will root for Caprice, a strong, intelligent young woman who embodies resilience, honesty, and courage; Coe’s authorial skill in character development helps us feel genuinely invested in the narrative, all the way to the final page. Suitable for middle school audiences and up, Coe’s novel will rivet readers, and more importantly, spur thoughtful, necessary conversations about consent, complicity and concealment, communication, and the importance of friends and family in helping navigate life’s challenges. Highly recommended!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
Caprice
by Coe Booth
Narrated by Bahni Turpin
Pub Date 17 May 2022
OrangeSky Audio
Children's Fiction
I am reviewing a copy of Caprice through Change Sky Audio and Netgalley:
Let me start off by saying that though Caprice is a Children's Book, about a Middle Grade Reader it does deal with a sensitive topic which is the Sexual Molestation of a Child, so please read this book with your child if you are concerned about how they are going to react to it:
Caprice should be excited, She has been offered a place at the school of her dreams, where she's just had a fantastic summer. But this great opportunity coincides with a lot of internal doubt and the disturbing news that her long-estranged grandmother has fallen ill and may be near death. As Caprice tries to figure out her future, she is pulled back toward her past, and the abuse she endured from her uncle when she was little,an abuse she's never told anyone about.
Coe Booth has written painful but ultimately healing novel about finding support from your parents and friends, articulating your truth, and choosing your own path, for Middle Grade readers, and has done so in an incredibly sensitive manner.
I give Caprice five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
by Coe Booth
Narrated by Bahni Turpin
Pub Date 17 May 2022
OrangeSky Audio
Children's Fiction
I am reviewing a copy of Caprice through Change Sky Audio and Netgalley:
Let me start off by saying that though Caprice is a Children's Book, about a Middle Grade Reader it does deal with a sensitive topic which is the Sexual Molestation of a Child, so please read this book with your child if you are concerned about how they are going to react to it:
Caprice should be excited, She has been offered a place at the school of her dreams, where she's just had a fantastic summer. But this great opportunity coincides with a lot of internal doubt and the disturbing news that her long-estranged grandmother has fallen ill and may be near death. As Caprice tries to figure out her future, she is pulled back toward her past, and the abuse she endured from her uncle when she was little,an abuse she's never told anyone about.
Coe Booth has written painful but ultimately healing novel about finding support from your parents and friends, articulating your truth, and choosing your own path, for Middle Grade readers, and has done so in an incredibly sensitive manner.
I give Caprice five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
December 8, 2023
I have never read a book like this before, and it was so painful. I had so many feelings while listening to the audiobook, and I can only imagine that this story leaves readers with a lot of food for thought. As I was listening I was reflecting on compulsory heterosexuality; the objectification and sexualization of young girls, especially young girls of color; the messaging we give young girls that sexual harassment and assault are something to allow and take as a compliment; and the obligation we have as adults to protect children from those who would hurt them.
Most of my fury while reading was directed at Caprice's grandma. I can't imagine allowing my grandchild to be assaulted in order to protect my pedophilic son, so that really threw me into a rage. I would be more like Caprice's dad, ready to kill him on the spot no questions asked. I can only imagine the kind of emotional turmoil this situation would cause for families.
I know this book is necessary and has a place in the hands of readers, but I don't know exactly which readers and when. I'll never forget this read, so it will stay on the backburner of my brain indefinitely, ready to go.
Most of my fury while reading was directed at Caprice's grandma. I can't imagine allowing my grandchild to be assaulted in order to protect my pedophilic son, so that really threw me into a rage. I would be more like Caprice's dad, ready to kill him on the spot no questions asked. I can only imagine the kind of emotional turmoil this situation would cause for families.
I know this book is necessary and has a place in the hands of readers, but I don't know exactly which readers and when. I'll never forget this read, so it will stay on the backburner of my brain indefinitely, ready to go.
September 17, 2024
This book deals with abuse. And more specifically abuse when the main character was very young (4 years old).
This is story that is written in a way that you can feel what Caprice is going through. And it's beautifully woven with poems that Caprice herself writes to help get her feelings out there. This is Caprice's biggest struggle/issue. She isn't sure how to express herself or what has happened to her. She has an incident at a school she visits for the summer and ends up having a panic attack. She has these through out the story as she's trying to grasp how she feels or why she's feeling/reacting to certain things the way she is.
It takes courage and strength to say out loud what has happened.
"As Caprice discovers, it is important for survivors of abuse to find someone to talk about what has happened or is happening to them."
What I like about this book, is that at the end the author has included a resources page for anyone who needs to talk to someone about any abuse they have gone through.
This is story that is written in a way that you can feel what Caprice is going through. And it's beautifully woven with poems that Caprice herself writes to help get her feelings out there. This is Caprice's biggest struggle/issue. She isn't sure how to express herself or what has happened to her. She has an incident at a school she visits for the summer and ends up having a panic attack. She has these through out the story as she's trying to grasp how she feels or why she's feeling/reacting to certain things the way she is.
It takes courage and strength to say out loud what has happened.
"As Caprice discovers, it is important for survivors of abuse to find someone to talk about what has happened or is happening to them."
What I like about this book, is that at the end the author has included a resources page for anyone who needs to talk to someone about any abuse they have gone through.
July 5, 2022
This book synopsis tells you about an abuse a twelve year old endures from her uncle so that is not a spoiler. I would caution those who have experienced child abuse that this book might be triggering from some. The author did a nice way of addressing the issue, detailing what went on, but in a tasteful manner. Someone recommended this book because they got healing from this book and was inspired. I wouldn’t use this book for survivors as a guide but I don’t have experience in this topic so who is to say if someone can get healing from this or not.
I would of preferred more growth and discovery from Caprice instead of the fluff of her life of women’s group and other activities that she is involved in. When Caprice finally shared what happened to her, I was hoping for more dialogues between her and the family. I loved the friendship she has with Nichole and how supportive Nichole has been for Caprice throughout the whole thing.
I would of preferred more growth and discovery from Caprice instead of the fluff of her life of women’s group and other activities that she is involved in. When Caprice finally shared what happened to her, I was hoping for more dialogues between her and the family. I loved the friendship she has with Nichole and how supportive Nichole has been for Caprice throughout the whole thing.
December 13, 2022
This book was very amusing, eye-opening, and comforting to read. It brought both sadness but comfort and I think it worked well for this novel. I enjoyed this book because it brings awareness to sexual assault and trauma from a young person's perspective. I never realized how hard it could be for those who had to suffer and deal with being molested at such a young age. How hard it is to simply just live in the body they do. This awakened me on the topic of sexual assault, and how it can affect you in many ways. I would recommend this book to anyone that would like to seek comfort for themselves or someone else about abuse. I would also recommend this to anyone that is just interested in being informed about the everyday life of a victim. One thing I wished that was probably different was to see the main character, "Caprice" as more of a teenager (14-16), rather than 12. But then again, I do believe this worked out because it shows all ages of youth can suffer from this.
February 11, 2024
Broke My Heart
This book was so heavy. Caprice was weighed down from a horrific secret that she should’ve never had to keep. The haunting memories affected her day to day life. She was robbed of so much from an awful person that should’ve protected her. It made me so sad that she had to bear the weight of the trauma on her own. Though it was terribly sad, I was glad when she finally spoke up. The opportunity to unburden herself was powerful. I tried to see things from her grandmother’s perspective, but I just couldn’t do it. Her handling of the abuse infuriated me. This book addressed a very troubling topic, but I’m so glad that this story is out there for young people who have experienced similar abuse. I also appreciated the author’s focus on the difficulty of outgrowing friendships and facing mean girl cliques. I sincerely pray that this book finds its way into the hands of the children that need it the most.
This book was so heavy. Caprice was weighed down from a horrific secret that she should’ve never had to keep. The haunting memories affected her day to day life. She was robbed of so much from an awful person that should’ve protected her. It made me so sad that she had to bear the weight of the trauma on her own. Though it was terribly sad, I was glad when she finally spoke up. The opportunity to unburden herself was powerful. I tried to see things from her grandmother’s perspective, but I just couldn’t do it. Her handling of the abuse infuriated me. This book addressed a very troubling topic, but I’m so glad that this story is out there for young people who have experienced similar abuse. I also appreciated the author’s focus on the difficulty of outgrowing friendships and facing mean girl cliques. I sincerely pray that this book finds its way into the hands of the children that need it the most.
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