Onyx & Beyond

Gr 3-7–It’s 1970. Onyx, 12, lives in Alexandria, VA, with a huge secret. His mama isn’t like other moms—she sleeps during the day and has difficulty remembering certain facts, like how Onyx’s gran passed away two years ago. Onyx must keep her early onset dementia a secret so they aren’t separated by social services. Consequently, Onyx is self-sufficient, doing laundry and fixing meals for them both. Onyx’s pops and extended family, living in Washington, D.C., don’t realize how dire the situation has become. Plagued by loneliness, Onyx tries to fix things the only way he can imagine how. He draws inspiration from African folktales, where his captive ancestors grew wings to escape bondage and fly home. Can Onyx harness the inner strength to grow wings and save his mama? Or is it time to ask for help? Onyx is an empathetic, introspective kid whose actions are relatable to anyone who’s had to grow up too fast. Although his feelings of isolation are palpable, his community quietly supports him. References to space travel, school desegregation, and the assassinations of Dr. King and Malcolm X firmly root the story in Onyx’s time and place. Although the resolution is a bit too tidy, readers will appreciate the optimistic ending. The story is based on the life of the author’s father, who grew up in Alexandria and whose mother has dementia.