Forever Is Now
by Mariama J. Lockington
High School    Farrar    416 pp.
5/23    9780374388881    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780374388898    $11.99

In this novel in verse, Lockington’s (In the Key of Us, rev. 5/22) first book for young adults, sixteen-year-old Sadie has anxiety that means “when I panic, I stop being a girl / I become a thread unraveling / from some dark and blanketed expanse of time.” When she witnesses a Black girl near her age being forcefully arrested by the police, the experience leaves her feeling unsafe and afraid to leave her house. With the help of her therapist, Sadie begins to find ways to cope with her anxiety and agoraphobia and shares her thoughts and poetry live on social media to create a sense of connection, and ultimately overcomes her fear. Lockington effectively mixes verse narration with social media posts to create an authentic teenage narrator. She thoughtfully explores mental health, sexuality (Sadie is bisexual), family, anti-Blackness, Black girl joy, and activism. Back matter includes an author’s note, mental health resources focusing on Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, and a list of Sadie’s favorite reads. Recommended for readers who appreciate books about Black teens’ mental health, such as Parker’s Who Put This Song On? (rev. 1/20) and Stone’s Chaos Theory (rev. 1/23).

From the July/August 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.