Third Place Books welcomes Hannah V. Sawyerr to our Ravenna store! Sawyerr will be presenting her debut young adult novel, All the Fighting Parts. Sawyerr will be joined in conversation by local children's book author Joy McCullough. This event is free and open to the public.
For important updates, registration is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!
“Gutsy and defiant, All the Fighting Parts is a battle hymn for loud-mouthed girls, and a searing invitation to all—but especially survivors—to speak their truth.”
—Joy McCullough, author of Blood Water Paint and Code Red
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Sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh has always believed in using her tongue as her weapon—even when it gets her into trouble. After cursing at a classmate, her father forces her to volunteer at their church with Pastor Johnson.
But Pastor Johnson isn’t the holy man everyone thinks he is.
The same voice Amina uses to fight falls quiet the night she is sexually assaulted by Pastor Johnson. After that, her life starts to unravel: her father is frustrated that her grades are slipping, and her best friend and boyfriend don’t understand why the once loud and proud girl is now quiet and distant. In a world that claims to support survivors, Amina wonders who will support her when her attacker is everyone's favorite community leader
When Pastor Johnson is arrested for a different crime, the community is shaken and divided; some call him a monster and others defend him. But Amina is secretly relieved. She no longer has to speak because Pastor Johnson can't hurt her anymore–or so she believes.
To regain her voice and sense of self, Amina must find the power to confront her abuser—in the courtroom and her heart—and learn to use all the fighting parts within her.
“Gutsy and defiant, All the Fighting Parts is a battle hymn for loud-mouthed girls, and a searing invitation to all—but especially survivors—to speak their truth.”
—Joy McCullough, author of Blood Water Paint and Code Red
“The sharp shift in tone and structure instantly divides Amina’s story into a stark before and after in the same way an assault can divide a life. But she, like most courageous victims, refuses to let divide define her. A heroic and candid debut.”
—Ashley Woodfolk, author of Nothing Burns as Bright as You
“Incredibly moving, beautifully written, and oh-so powerful, All the Fighting Parts is a stunning debut novel-in-verse. Hannah V. Sawyerr is a talent to watch.”
—Liz Lawson, author of The Agathas, The Night in Question, and The Lucky Ones
“Perfect for readers of Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, All the Fighting Parts is an honest, brilliant, and powerful novel-in-verse. Amina’s story isn’t just about a girl who survives sexual assault. Readers will root for her as she journeys through survival, grief of losing a parent, and the role faith can play in finding oneself. A mixed media novel filled with smart writing and honest poetry, Sawyerr tackles difficult topics like religion, sexuality, and survival with tenderness and care. A must read for anyone who has ever felt the words ‘me too’ in their heart."
—Dante Medema, author of The Truth Project
Hannah V. Sawyerr was recognized as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016. Her spoken word has been featured on the BBC’s World Have Your Say program, as well as the National Education Association’s “Do You Hear Us?” campaign. Her written word has been included in gal-dem, Rookie, and xoNecole. She holds a BA in English from Morgan State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Sawyerr is an English professor at Loyola Marymount University and lives in Los Angeles, California.
Joy McCullough’s debut young adult novel, Blood Water Paint, won the Washington State and Pacific Northwest book awards, as well as honors including the National Book Award longlist, finalist for the ALA Morris Award, a Publishers Weekly Flying Start and four starred reviews. She has since written picture books and young adult and middle grade novels that have been Junior Library Guild Selections, Indie Next Selections, finalists for the Washington State Book Award, and a New York Time bestseller. She writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She studied theater at Northwestern University, fell in love with her husband atop a Guatemalan volcano, and now spends her days with kids and dogs and books.
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