For her March 2021 Read With Jenna book club pick, Jenna Bush Hager selected Naima Coster's "What's Mine and Yours," a novel Jenna calls "sweeping and fresh."
The story is about two American families, specifically two mothers, each fighting for a better future for their kids.
"As a mother myself, I related to the mothers' fierce love for their children even when they made mistakes," Jenna said. "Nobody understands us like our families, even when imperfect."
Set in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, the book introduces readers to Lacey May and Jade. The mothers find themselves on opposite ends of a debate when their community begins to bring students from the largely Black neighborhoods on the east side of town into high schools on the west side, which are predominantly white.
Lacey May’s daughter, Noelle, and Jade’s son, Gee, cross paths while participating in a school play meant to bring students together. As their lives become intertwined, their mothers make choices that will haunt each of them, even into their adult lives.
If you loved "What's Mine and Yours," pick up one of Coster's five recommendations next.
"LaRose," by Louise Erdrich
While hunting deer in North Dakota in 1999, Landreaux Iron makes a tragic mistake when he shoots and kills his neighbor's 5-year-old son instead of the deer he was aiming for. The neighbor's son, Dusty, was friends with Landreaux's son, LaRose. The two families were close and often relied on each other for neighborly support.
Seeking atonement for his sin, Landreaux participates in an ancient Ojibwe tribe tradition, the sweat lodge. When he emerges, he decides to give his own son to the grieving Ravich family.
Erdrich masterfully covers themes of grief, family, forgiveness and love in her haunting contemporary novel.
"Milk Blood Heat," by Dantiel W. Moniz
In a collection of stories, Dantiel W. Moniz shares an intimate look at people and the relationships that mold us into who we are. Set in Florida, the 11 stories cover themes such as race, womanhood, loss, inheritance and spirituality.
"Cantoras," by Carolina De Robertis
Set in Uruguay in 1977, this novel tells the story of five women who discover an isolated cape called Cabo Polonio. Over 35 years, the cape is their secret sanctuary where they can escape to be themselves in the midst of an oppressive dictatorship that harshly attacks homosexuality.
"Infinite Country," by Patricia Engel
“Infinite Country,” by Patricia Engel, tells the story of a family of five split between the United States and Colombia because of a deportation. The novel, which is structured around the family’s youngest member’s race to make it from a correctional facility in the mountains to Bogotá in time for her flight to the U.S., gives voice to each member. Engel’s book coalesces into a beautiful story of determination and love.
"The Dew Breaker," by Edwidge Danticat
"The Dew Breaker" is a story that alternates between 1960s Haiti and present-day Brooklyn, New York. It is about a good family man with a large scar across his face and a dangerous but vital secret. As the reader gets to know those around him, his secret is slowly revealed. Tackling themes of love, rebellion and hope, Danticat's novel shares a truthful look at her native country, Haiti.
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For more book recommendations, check out:
- 'The Vanishing Half' author Brit Bennett shares 6 books you should read now
- 5 books to read if you enjoyed 'Send For Me,' by Lauren Fox
- 6 books to read if you enjoyed 'The Four Winds,' by Kristin Hannah
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