Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

packed with authentic moments of middle-school drama, old and new friendships, family conflicts, first crush— all with a diverse cast of characters. What makes this book extra special is Sicily’s journey of understanding (and helping others around her understand) her Afro-Panamanian heritage. As Sicily explores the differences between culture and race, she discovers interesting facts about her ancestry. Recording what she learns in her diary, she feels the connection with her late grandfather who always believed she had the gift of writing. Many important bits of history are woven seamlessly into the story.
Readers will learn about Polleras, Patacones, Pelo malo, Bayano and the Cimarrones, the “Gold” and “silver” employees in Panama Canal, and so much more. An important addition to any bookshelf that strives for diverse representation.

I really enjoyed this book! This book follows Sicily as she navigates middle school and a complicated relationship with a family member. I also loved the themes of acceptance of hair, Black-Panaminian heritage, and writing. As someone who grew up in an intergenerational home, there were aspects and feelings that Sicily felt that I was all too familiar with. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially if you liked Frizzy by Claribel Ortega.

This book almost worked. Sicily faces a lot of challenges in this novel from having to start middle school away from her friends to colorism from her abuela to feeling betrayed by a new friend to having her identity questioned after a class presentation. Sicily's tongue-tied response to her classmates' disbelief poses an incredible learning opportunity for Sicily and for readers of the novel. I loved this exploration of the differences between ethnicity and race. Ultimately, the resolution let me down. the conclusing article Sicily wrote read like a college essay on Afro-Panamanians not an article written by a sixth grader. The conclusions were told rather than shown. Several of the other resolutions felt far too simple as well.

Tamika Burgess, you did great.

My heart is full of joy after reading this middle-grade fiction book. I loved hearing the Black Panamanian discourse, and Sicily is such a great character. This book is heartwarming, unique, and just all around enjoyable to read. I cannot wait to own a physical copy.

5/5

“Learning new things about who I am and where I come from has awakened something inside of me, and I know I am forever changed.”

Sicily Jordan thought she was ready for sixth grade. That is, until her parents register her for the new middle school opening in her district—the middle school that just so happens to be away from all her friends. Now she’s facing hallways where she doesn’t know anyone, a mean eighth-grader who doesn’t want to let Sicily write for the online magazine, and worst of all, a class presentation about her family and culture where she’s bombarded with questions about how she can be both Black and Panamanian. To make matters worse, Sicily’s favorite person, her abuela, insults her braids and Sicily along with them. With her heart crumpled over and over, Sicily turns to the journal her abuelo left her when he died. She hasn’t picked up a pen in years, but now it just might be time to prove to herself and everyone else what it means to be a proud Black Panamanian—with her words.

SINCERELY SICILY is a sweet book that perfectly captures those starting-middle-school feelings while also including lots of information about Afro-Panamanian history. Author Tamika Burgess does a fantastic job discussing some tougher topics in a way that makes it easy for a younger audience to understand but that’s enjoyable for adults to read as well. In a book perfect for Black History Month, kids and adults alike will laugh, cry, smile, and cheer with Sicily as she learns new things about her culture, her family, and herself. Sicily is a wonderful protagonist, and I wish I could spend even more time immersed in her story. Find yourself a copy of SINCERELY SICILY today and get ready to read!

Content Warnings: Death of a loved one, mentioned police violence, bullying, racism, mentions of slavery

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Sincerely Sicily is a standout middle grade debut, following a Black Panamanian girl named Sicily. I was particularly struck by how it explored the intricacies of identifying as both, when so many people, including people in the Black and Latine communities, see them as mutually exclusive. From the complex intra-familial dynamics to touching on issues like racism and hair discrimination outside the family, I really liked seeing how all of this was represented, especially in terms of how a young girl like Sicily is impacted, as well as allowing her to grow and learn over the course of the book, ultimately being able to stand up for herself.

I also liked seeing her come into her own and asserting her identity in other ways. She’s incredibly assertive and stylish, and over the course of the book, she develops her talent as a writer.

I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a coming of age middle grade.

Wonderful debut and it's a good book! I liked the MC and also the cover also too by the way. And I'm curious to see more from this author!

Sicily Jordan finds out a few days before school starts that the new middle school is completed and will be open, and she will be going there for sixth grade instead of to the middle school where her group of friends will be attending.

She is very upset. She will have to have one teacher all day instead of changing classes, and she has to wear a uniform!

Not only is she upset about school, but she’s also very sad about some comments her grandmother said to her about the braids she wears her hair in being “low class and ghetto.”

This book is a sweet story that also tugs at the heartstrings. Slumber parties, boy crushes, bullies, and school projects! I enjoyed reading it.

“He reminded me that words have the power to help or destroy.”

Sicily is dealing with racism at school with her heritage presentation--but also at home with her Abuela.

Abuela has unkind and harmful words about Sicily's braids--and the way her words sting Sicily, and how Sicily fights to figure out how to respond was very relatable. The family didn't always handle the conflict perfectly, but it's lovely seeing the modeling of parents listening to and figuring out how to stand up for their kid, as well as the challenge of balancing respecting others while also standing up for yourself. I appreciate the modeling of Abuela learning to apologize, and that we see how Sicily desires reconciliation and healing in the relationship, even though she's so hurt by her abuela's words. I would've liked to see Sicily explicitly apologize for the mistakes she makes in the book--to me, it felt like everyone else was on hands and knees apologizing without her taking full responsibility of her own mistakes. That said, it is refreshing to see adult allies for a kid in an MG book, and Sicily's behavior definitely reflects a spirit of apology in how she interacts with those around her.

All in all, a lovely read about discovering your heritage, Black hair love, family standing up for each other and apologizing when they've done wrong, and Afro-Latine joy!

Sincerely Sicily is a sweet, triumphant debut middle grade novel about being Afro-Panamanian, finding pride in your roots, and discovering the joy of writing. Kids who love writing and enjoy epistolary books or books with diary entries will enjoy this one. It also has a sweet tween crush/romance for those who like them–although Sicily is only in the sixth grade (which felt a bit young for me). Overall, I would recommend this one, especially for readers interested in Black history in South America.

Sincerely Sicily grabbed me from the first page. The title character, Sicily, is starting middle school, and she learns that she’ll be going to a different school than all her friends. Sicily navigates making new friends—and a new crush—while also learning about her Black Panamanian heritage. What I love about Sicily is that she is confident about who she is. When faced with challenges at school and even within her own family, she doesn’t doubt herself. Her confidence makes her a fun and inspiring narrator.

I received an advanced copy of this ebook from the publisher for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. I absolutely enjoyed this authors writing style. It keeps your attention from the first page. The family relationships in this book is well written. The friendships are described fantastically. This book is set in San Francisco, California mentioning Panama. I would definitely recommend reading this book to anyone and everyone. This book is in stores for $17.99 (USD).

Loved this book so much! The Black Panamanian experience is a perspective very much missing from middle grade, and Tamika's MG voice is spot-on. Sicily was great and I loved going with her on her journey to figure out who she is. Will definitely be reading all of this author's future books!

Sincerely Sicily is an amazing heartfelt story about the experience of a young Black Panamanian girl growing up in the US. Her experiences at a new school and trying to explain her own heritage is such an important story for young ones! You learn right along with Sicily about her heritage as she finds her own words to be able to describe herself. I loved every single moment in this book and I just know everyone else will too!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, I enjoyed it so much!

I really loved this story. The author did a wonderful job portraying the emotions, fears, and relationships in middle school as well as in families. Sicily is a very relatable character and in several tough situations: new school, conflict with her grandmother, having to explain her background to kids of other races, uncertainty about being chosen to write for the school online newspaper. Her character arc of learning to understand and stand up for herself is powerful. The dialog and situations were very realistic. And I learned so much about the history and culture of Black Panamanians. I highly recommend it!

Every moment of this heartfelt, meaningful middle grade story rang true! Sicily's voice is so real and I felt her emotional responses to every twist and turn as she navigates a new school, a mean girl, new friends, her first crush and classmates who don't understand how someone can be both Black and Panamanian. Sicily also has to learn to face up to discriminatory comments about her braids from someone she loves and trusts and Tamika Burgess handles this with such honesty and care. Readers will learn about the rich history of Panama and the difference between race and culture while cheering Sicily along all the way to her moment of triumph!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Tamika Burgess, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sicily Jordan is not starting middle school on the right foot. She is stuck at a new school where none of her new friends attend. Not only that, she has to wear a school uniform! Things get even worse when she has to give a class presentation on her heritage and her classmates question how she can be both black and Panamanian. Will Sicily be able to make new friends but also show her true character?

I LOVED this book! A great middle grade read that teaches the importance of being true to yourself and discovering your own identity. I will definitely be buying a copy of this book for my classroom.

Sincerely Sicily is a quick and sweet middle grade read following the titular Sicily. As Sicily begins a new school year at a brand new middle school, we follow her daily trials and tribulations that generally fall within one of three major themes: making new friends, anti-Blackness in Latine communities (particularly with so-called "pelo malo"), and the importance of art/self-expression (specifically, writing). Tamika Burgess handles all of these topics with ease and care, and the story flows naturally throughout. Definitely recommended for middle grade readers of contemporary fiction that handles real life issues.

Would I buy this book for myself:
I would definitely put this book on my classroom shelves and recommend it for 4-6th grade. It brings up an important topic of identity and what it is like to be first-generation in America versus having family who grew up here.

Three things I liked:
- Sicily learns about her culture by writing journal entries specifically about Panaman culture. We learn about the history of Panama and the complexity of the Latine identity. The insertion of emails and texts within the story makes it a fun read.
- Sicily’s family is complex with Abuela who spent most of her life in Panama, her parents who came from Panama to have a family and Enrique and Sicily herself who were born in the United States. There is a complexity of different generations where their experiences are so different and hard to articulate and the author writes it well.
- One of the central conflicts is with Sicily and her abuela and how her abuela’s views based around colorism are hurtful towards her granddaughter and her perception about herself. It is mentioned that Sicily and her mother are darker and the tension that Sicily has towards her abuela is complex because of family values that have been taught to her.

Two moments that stood out to me:
- Sicily and her parents have a conversation about race and culture and they discuss how their identity is complex because of the different cultures in their family history.
- There is a conversation that Sicily, Renya and Evelyn have about “where they come from”. Renya and Sicily are both first generation and know their parents’ native language whereas Evelyn does not.

One quote that I will hold on to:
“Another important thing you should write down is that Afro at the beginning of those words shows that we acknowledge our African roots. We are Black first, before anything else.”