Blood in the Water

Gr 4-7–Jackson once again proves her brilliance at weaving suspense, heart, and truth into a story that refuses to let go. Twelve-year old Black girl and Brooklynite Kaylani’s summer plans involve trying to fit into the elitist vibe of Martha’s Vineyard, and clearing her incarcerated father’s name. Then a boy turns up dead on the island and Kaylani is accused of stealing money. Her focus shifts to trying to clear her own name and finding out what happened to the teen. Was it really a shark attack—or was it murder? What makes this book shine isn’t just the twists and turns of its plot, it’s the voice. Jackson writes Kaylani with an ear so attuned to how preteens actually speak, think, and feel that every page feels authentic. Kaylani’s voice is filled with the sharp wit, confusion, frustration, and hope of a contemporary 12-year-old. Her inflection and vulnerability are rendered with care and nuance, making her feel not just believable, but deeply relatable. This story deftly explores what it means to be “from the wrong side of the tracks” in a world that judges before it listens. Jackson doesn’t shy away from tough topics—incarceration, classism, bullying, and how children carry burdens that aren’t theirs—but she handles them with grace and empathy. The novel’s emotional undercurrents are as powerful as the suspense that drives the plot.