Description This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself.
But how can Genesis believe anything her teacher says when her dad tells her the exact opposite? How can she stand up in front of all those people with her dark, dark skin knowing even her own family thinks lesser of her because of it? Why, why, why won\'t the lemon or yogurt or fancy creams lighten her skin like they\'re supposed to? And when Genesis reaches #100 on the list of things she hates about herself, will she continue on, or can she find the strength to begin again?.
Genesis actually likes her new school; she\'s made a couple friends, her choir teacher says she has real talent, and she even encourages Genesis to join the talent show.
But things aren\'t all bad.
It\'s not that Genesis doesn\'t like her grandma, but she and Mom always fight--Grandma haranguing Mom to leave Dad, that she should have gone back to school, that if she\'d married a lighter skinned man none of this would be happening, and on and on and on.
What\'s not so regular is that this time they all don\'t have a place to crash, so Genesis and her mom have to stay with her grandma.
When your dad is a gambling addict and loses the rent money every month, eviction is a regular occurrence.
And #61: Because her family is always being put out of their house, belongings laid out on the sidewalk for the world to see.
Like #95: Because her skin is so dark, people call her charcoal and eggplant--even her own family.
She knows the exact number because she keeps a list.
There are ninety-six things Genesis hates about herself.
Description This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself
