I would say coming of age stories are always my go to reads and one told through a child's voice,if done well, are my favorites. So my expectations were high for this one, even though it was a debut author, and it did. NOT disappoint. The title and book cover are very appealing so I hope that will draw people in because I think the minute they start reading they won't want to stop. What the main character goes through is not an easy tale yet since it is told through her sweet voice it is somewhat heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.. I found myself smiling with tears in my eyes at some of the moments..I will highly recommend this for adults and older teens as well.

I loved this book. Loved the characters, so real. The story is heartbreaking and real. My heart went out to KB as she was trying to figure out her new life.

KB and Nia are sisters who have grown apart as Nia ages into teen years. They lose their father and their house and their mom takes them to live with their grandfather while she tries to pull her life together. Cast adrift and feeling like she has no one left, KB struggles with her own growing up, racist neighbors and the lure of a boy who pays attention to her. This coming of age story gives a wonderful glimpse inside the head of a reasonably sheltered 10-year-old when she doesn't know who to rely on.

A pitch-perfect portrayal of Black girlhood that goes beyond simple recollection, "What the Fireflies Knew" astounds in its clarity of voice. The little girl with the pigtails I was felt seen and heard by the time I finished this book. Recommended read for book clubs and purchase for adult collections.

I found this book enlightening about a black girl's childhood in Detroit- fascinating, troubling, sad, but also, all true emotions from any child anywhere, who grew up with trauma. I enjoyed it, though I felt grandaddy becoming the wonderful person he ended up being, was a little rushed. As reluctant as he was in letting KB know what happened between him and his daughter, he suddenly became so open with everything and KB didn't really have to pry much, he just transformed from gruff and unfeeling, to warm and generous too quickly. Nia was very realistically written as a teen girl desiring more freedom and KB describing her feelings about losing her sister's friendship was as accurate as I've ever read.

This poignant debut follows KB, an eleven-year-old black girl whose is sent with her sister to their grandfather's house in Lansing, Michigan following their father's overdose death and the subsequent loss of their Detroit house. During the course of a summer in 1995, KB experiences racism, difficulty with her sister, and personal trauma. She struggles to make sense of her new world and complicated family dynamics. This is a beautifully written novel about both trauma and hope, disappointment and new beginnings.

This is a coming-of-age story about a ten-year-old Black girl named Kenyatta Bernice or KB for short. She has lived all her life in Detroit with her mother, father and 14-year-old sister named Nia. Life has been good until shortly before her 11th birthday KB’s father dies, they lose the house and have to move into a rundown motel. In a desperate move, Mama takes the girls to live with her father, Granddaddy, in Lansing, Michigan, two hours from her home. KB and Nia are constantly at each other’s throats and when KB tries to make friends with the two White kids who live across the street encounters racism for the first time in her life.

Granddaddy doesn’t appear to want the girls and seems ill equipped to take care of them, yet he grows to the task and he grew on me. KB struggles to negotiate the difficult and awkward situations that keep popping up, and she meets family that she never knew she had who are indifferent to her. She remembered what her Momma told her, “In life, we’re going to get hurt. If we stay focused on that hurt, and nothing else, then we won’t ever be able to heal. But if we focus on the healing, well, then we’ll start to notice that hurt disappear.”

I appreciate the author’s sympathetic portrayal of these lives in such a way that I am invested and care deeply what happens to this family. I couldn’t stop reading and because I was on my Kindle, couldn’t fall asleep until after 2:00. It’s that kind of book.

This story felt like an instant classic. It was one of those books that felt like home, like you've been there before. It was tear-jerking and heartbreaking yet full of love! All the stars!

I was completely immersed in KB’s world thanks to the rich voice and storytelling, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. Beautiful, heart wrenching, yet hopeful, this book is bound to touch readers deeply.

What a stunning debut! Harris's deceptively simple temporal structure (three parts, each representing one month of the summer of 1995), in reality opens up into a richly-layered family study, one that explores multiple generations through the eyes of KB. WHAT THE FIREFLIES KNEW is unflinching in its depiction of trauma—yet it never sensationalizes. Its depiction of hope is nuanced and bittersweet, never cloying. And KB's voice is distinct, strong... and will stay with you long after you finish reading.
A must read novel of 2022!

All the feels!

Although this book dealt with heavy duty themes, it had me riveted from the first page until the last. The coming of age tale has the reader settling into the characters' lives and the trials they face as well as the moments of joy they capture.

Grab a copy of this book, and grab an old mayonnaise jar to explore the wonders of fireflies and caterpillars. You'll be mesmerized as the story develops.

I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.