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Echo Brown
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Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard Hardcover – 1 Feb. 2020

by Echo Brown (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 450 ratings
New portals begin to open when Echo transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor. Each day, Echo travels between two worlds, leaving her brothers, her friends, and a piece of herself behind on the East Side. There are dangers to leaving behind the place that made you. Echo soon realises there is pain flowing through everyone around her, and a black veil of depression threatens to undo everything she's worked for.
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  1. ISBN-10
    1250309859
  2. ISBN-13
    978-1250309853
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Henry Holt and Co
  5. Publication date
    1 Feb. 2020
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    14.25 x 2.84 x 21.57 cm
  8. Print length
    304 pages
  9. See all details
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Product description

Review

A Cosmopolitan 125 Best YA Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless of Age! Selection
A NYPL Best Book of 2020
A NYPL Staff Pick
A Book Riot Best Book of the Year
Teen Vogue Recommended Read
Publishers Weekly Anti-Racist Reading List Selection
Winner of The Word's Rishi Award
A CCBC Book of the Week
A 2021 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Selection
A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults List Selection
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year 2021 Selection

"[An] empowering autobiographical novel fused with magical realism and allegory . . . with the nods to Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, and Alice Walker. This revelatory YA book deserves space on bookstore and library shelves for its healing power for all readers to break the chains of intergenerational pain and trauma."--School Library Journal, starred review

"Brown has written a guidebook of survival and wonder....Brown's greatest gift is evoking intimacy, and as she delicately but firmly snatches the reader's attention, we are allowed to see this girl of multitudes and her neighborhood of contradictions in full and specific detail." --The New York Times

"A graphic look at the magical black girls who are often forgotten or fetishized. Through Echo's lessons, readers learn what it's like to persist despite hopelessness, survive in a world propelled by oppressive and exploitative systems, and cope with feelings of connection and disconnect. A much-needed story. Just brilliant."--Kirkus Reviews

"A meditation on resilience, Black Girl Unlimited is an astonishing blend of riveting storytelling and moving literary artistry. I fell completely under the spell of this book and its community of brilliantly drawn characters. I need more Echo Brown books." --S.K. Ali, New York Times-bestselling author

"Steeped in allegory, magical realism, and stunning imagery, this story of what we take with us and what we leave behind marks the arrival of a bold new literary imagination." --Esquire

"Brown's prose is searingly beautiful and painful in its imagery . . . Echo is an unforgettable heroine, and her tale makes a compelling counterpart to Nikki Grimes' memoir, Ordinary Hazards, or a first step toward Octavia Butler. " --The Bulletin

"Brown's novel deals with some very heavy themes including sexual violence, drug addiction, depression, and racism. However, it treats these themes and readers with care while uplifting both its main character and readers who may share Echo's struggles. A treasure of a story that's poignant, soulful, and inspiring."--Booklist

"This is a story of Black girl magic, trauma and healing, learning to save oneself, connection and forgiveness, and given and chosen family." --Book Riot

"In this arresting fictionalized account of the author's life growing up in Cleveland, systemic racism and personal trauma have palpable weight. The magical realism underscores the impact of that trauma while also illuminating the vulnerabilities and especially the strength of Echo and others in her African American family and community." --Cooperative Children's Book Center

"Brown's quasi-memoir blends magical realism with a coming-of-age story in this mold-breaking novel. The novel never shies from tough subject matter (drug addiction, sexual assault), at the same time deftly integrating magically realistic components and allegory into contemporary scenes."--Publishers Weekly

From the Back Cover

"Brown has written a guidebook of survival and wonder."-The New York Times

"Just brilliant."-Kirkus Reviews

Heavily autobiographical and infused with magical realism, Black Girl Unlimited fearlessly explores the intersections of poverty, sexual violence, depression, racism, and sexism-all through the arc of a transcendent coming-of-age story for fans of Renee Watson's Piecing Me Together and Ibi Zoboi's American Street.

Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, where apartments are small and parents suffer addictions to the white rocks. Yet there is magic . . . everywhere. New portals begin to open when Echo transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor.

Each day, Echo travels between two worlds, leaving her brothers, her friends, and a piece of herself behind on the East Side. There are dangers to leaving behind the place that made you. Echo soon realizes there is pain flowing through everyone around her, and a black veil of depression threatens to undo everything she’s worked for.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Henry Holt and Co; 1st edition (1 Feb. 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250309859
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250309853
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 17 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.25 x 2.84 x 21.57 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 450 ratings

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Echo Brown

Echo Brown

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
450 global ratings

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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Kay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Really great story telling and style. One of the best books I’ve read in ages, and I read a lot.
    Helpful
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  • Thomas Hitchen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unlike anything I've ever read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 August 2020
    This book is such a fantastic, powerful read! Told as part novel, part memoir with a dash of magic, I was completely swept away by this book.
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  • Avid reader
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 August 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I needed something to read and read the reviews, a good choice. Worth reading, enough to keep you interested without being too mentally taxing if you want something not too consuming.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • B.Ghebre
    5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful
    Reviewed in Germany on 14 June 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Beautifully written!!
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars - exceptional story!
    Reviewed in the United States on 29 February 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Wow, just wow. It has been a very long time since a book touched me on this level. And I say this after having read several emotionally charged books dealing with the difficult topics of race, violence, and abuse. Echo Brown is an incredible writer with the most unique approach to a memoir I've ever seen. I consumed her book as an audiobook, narrated by Ms. Brown herself, and her unique position in telling her story made this a beautiful way to read Black Girl Unlimited. But after hearing the book, I bought a physical copy because this is a book I want in my house, and I want all of my future children or house guests to see it and read it. It was that impactful. Her honesty and her complete loss of herself following a traumatic experience - and her subsequent reawakening surrounded by the strongest women in her life - was a story woven with magic, but at the same time, so very real and raw. Thank you, Echo Brown, for your willingness to let this book flow from you!
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  • V
    5.0 out of 5 stars Magical and eye opening
    Reviewed in the United States on 7 March 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Brown weaves in magical realism in a beautiful way. She also opened my eyes to the struggles that lots of folks fall thru in youth. It is heartbreaking, but she does it in a compelling way that makes me feel like "I need to know/understand this" instead of "I can't read this." She also never shames the reader. Thank you for telling your story.
    Report
  • Shannon Whitwell
    4.0 out of 5 stars A heartbreaking yet inspiring story with a magical twist.
    Reviewed in Canada on 22 July 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If I am being completely honest, I spent most of this book extremely confused. On one hand, it was obviously a story about a young girl with loads of potential who’s environment was constantly holding her back. On the other hand, there was this storyline about wizards, magical miracles, and portals.

    I was never really sure if the fantasy elements of this novel were meant to be metaphorical or literal. I think the bits about wizards and miracles were about a girl coping with the darkness that surrounded her, but maybe it was just a magical spin on a story. It doesn’t really matter one way or another because the heart of the story is Echo’s ability to overcome and persevere despite unthinkable odds.

    Echo and her brothers live with their drug-addicted mother and drunk father in a poor neighbourhood. Echo is smart and gets to go to the ‘white school’ for elementary school but later rejoins the kids from her neighbourhood for high school. She struggles with low self-worth, thinking of herself as beastly and undesirable. She desperately wants a better life for herself and her family and is constantly trying to find a way to make it possible.

    Eventually, her hard work and determination begin to generate real opportunities for her but she struggles with guilt as she feels like she is abandoning her family for a better life.

    I found this book to be a portal of its own, showing me a world that was unfamiliar and heartbreaking. It is tremendously hard to break the blueprints of the life you were born into and to dare to dream up a whole new life for yourself. I only hope to have even an ounce of the courage that was shown to me through Echo. Definitely an inspirational read!
    Customer image
    Shannon Whitwell
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    A heartbreaking yet inspiring story with a magical twist.

    Reviewed in Canada on 22 July 2020
    If I am being completely honest, I spent most of this book extremely confused. On one hand, it was obviously a story about a young girl with loads of potential who’s environment was constantly holding her back. On the other hand, there was this storyline about wizards, magical miracles, and portals.

    I was never really sure if the fantasy elements of this novel were meant to be metaphorical or literal. I think the bits about wizards and miracles were about a girl coping with the darkness that surrounded her, but maybe it was just a magical spin on a story. It doesn’t really matter one way or another because the heart of the story is Echo’s ability to overcome and persevere despite unthinkable odds.

    Echo and her brothers live with their drug-addicted mother and drunk father in a poor neighbourhood. Echo is smart and gets to go to the ‘white school’ for elementary school but later rejoins the kids from her neighbourhood for high school. She struggles with low self-worth, thinking of herself as beastly and undesirable. She desperately wants a better life for herself and her family and is constantly trying to find a way to make it possible.

    Eventually, her hard work and determination begin to generate real opportunities for her but she struggles with guilt as she feels like she is abandoning her family for a better life.

    I found this book to be a portal of its own, showing me a world that was unfamiliar and heartbreaking. It is tremendously hard to break the blueprints of the life you were born into and to dare to dream up a whole new life for yourself. I only hope to have even an ounce of the courage that was shown to me through Echo. Definitely an inspirational read!
    Images in this review
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    Report
  • Ashley
    5.0 out of 5 stars A treasured read
    Reviewed in the United States on 16 August 2020
    Verified Purchase
    "𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒄𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔, 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔...𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒔. 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒚, 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒆, 𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈."

    "𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆, 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒚𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔."

    "𝑼𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕. 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂 𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒉, 𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆."

    𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝙸 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍. 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝.
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