September 23, 2025 by Viking Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Henson lives with his father, Deacon, in Great Mountain, Mississippi after the death of his mother. They have property, and grow grapes, so Henson is expected to pitch in with the work, even though he is a promising 8th grader who is playing on the high school football team. Menkah Jupiter, a younger boy whose father was killed in the military, works for Deacon as well. The father often tells the boys stories about Great Mountain's past, and the history of the formerly enslaved Black people who founded the town. The community is so invested in Henson's performance on the football field that when school starts, Henson gets a lot of breaks. The principal doesn't mind that he's late, and the cafeteria workers bring in steak for his lunch. Henson even attracts the attention of Frieda, an young activist in his grade on whom he has a crush. His friend Flowell supports him, since Henson stood up to the bully Punch for him years earlier. There are some problems in Great Mountain, and some controversy over the Midnight Marauders. Even though the town was settled by Augustus Owens, a Nigerian man who was enslaved by European traders, once white people found out about the town, they took land away from the native Choctaw tribe members. Now, there is an angry group called the Dem Delta Boys who use ugly and racist props and gestures to cheer for the Marauders team. During the first game, Henson is doing very well, and the public adores him. Halfway through, however, he gets news that Menkah has been beated by local law enforcement, and he leaves the game to be by his friend's side. This angers a few people in town, who demand that Henson return to the field. After visiting with Henson, Menkah makes a miraculous recovery, but the hospital is surrounded by sports fans who want Henson to return to the field. When Dem Delta Boys threaten them, help arrives in the OBF organization. The One Big Family is led by Shaka St. Louis and comprised of Black people who come to the aid of anyone who needs them. Henson is able to go home and have a quiet weekend with his father, having Frieda to dinner and learning that his father is in charge of a philanthropic foundation that gives away money to Black people and organizations who need it. Before the next game, there is a pep rally, that goes awry. Is Henson's athletic prowess something more supernatural than it seems at first?
Strengths: Great Mountain is an interesting town with a fascinating history that Deacon imparts little by little to Henson and his friends. While the team name and Dem Delta Boys are problematic, the general atmosphere is one of Black pride and accomplishment. The townspeople are very supportive of Henson; during the game that he has to leave, it is stated that 7,991 people support his decision, and the nine people who don't all meet with very bad events. The relationship between Deacon and his father is wonderful, and the two obviously care deeply for one another. Henson also has other people in his life who support him. This is definitely a fantasy book, and Henson clearly has some powers that help with his performance on the football field. Football helps to sell any story; I just wish this had a football on the cover!
Weaknesses: While I loved how generally positive the stories, and the treatment of Henson, generally is, I was very confused as to where the book was going. The fantasy elements were there, but it was hard to take Henson's ability to heal seriously when it was followed by hoards of fans massing outside the hospital. I felt like I was missing some sub text about how we idolize sports figures.
What I really think: Wilson's The Boys of Blur is the only other book I can think of that is anything like this. It's an interesting mix of Black history and magical realism, with a strong feeling of wish fulfillment. (Don't a lot of readers want to be this lauded as sports heroes?)
No comments:
Post a Comment