Dig

 

King, A. (2019). Dig. NY: Dutton Books for Young Readers. 

Dig by A.S. King leads us into the surreal lives of five teenagers: The Shoveler, a boy who throws himself into snow shoveling and house painting in an attempt to save for a car that will help him find his dad. CanIhelpyou, a girl who works the drive-thru at an Arby's and deals drugs from the windows. Malcolm, who's taking care of his terminally ill dad. Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, who keeps a lunchbox of fleas for her circus. The Freak, who moves between worlds and tries to tie a family together. The novel takes us through the lives of each of these characters and the hardships they encounter until eventually finding out they are all connected.

King's novel takes you on a journey about racism and the choices that each person must make. The characters challenge notions about family, class, gender, race, and privilege and demands reflection from the reader. This has been the most interesting book I have read so far this summer and I highly recommend it!