Fall 2024

Dancehall Rebel

  • Interest Level: Grade 9 - Grade 12
  • Reading Level: Grade 5

What do you do when the musical culture you love comes with a legacy of intolerance?

Denise is a teen who was raised on Jamaican dancehall music; her dad is a leading local DJ who has imbued her life with a love of music. Denise has aspirations to follow in her dad’s footsteps, but there’s a problem: Denise identifies as queer, and the music she loves often reflects homophobia. Her mother and relatives are also not accepting. But when she moves to Ottawa for first year university school, encouraged by a sympathetic cousin, she finds a community of like-minded kids who love and cherish both music and diversity.

This lively true-to-life portrayal of teen lives and relationships puts a contemporary spin on the cultural conflict often between more traditional families and their young family members. A groundbreaking novel portraying a Caribbean Canadian teen challenging the ongoing legacy of homophobia in her musical and cultural community. Dancehall music and culture is undergoing a large shift.

Format Your Price Add
978-1-4594-1815-8
$20.99
978-1-4594-1814-1
$16.99
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Interest Level Grade 9 - Grade 12
Reading Level Grade 5
Genre High/Low, Young Adult
Category Diverse Books: LGBTQIA+, Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning
Copyright 2024
Publisher James Lorimer and Company Ltd., Publishers
Imprint Lorimer Children & Teens
Language English
Number of Pages 184
Publication Date 2024-08-01
Text Type Fiction
BISACS YAF031000, YAF058190, YAF047030
Dewey [Fic]
Dimensions 5.5 x 8.5
Lexile 820
Features Author/Illustrator biography and Reviewed

Author: Stacey Robinson

Stacey Marie Robinson is a communications specialist, entertainment enthusiast, and music lover. Born in Toronto and guided by her Jamaican heritage, Stacey’s creative content highlights contemporary Black Canadian life and Caribbean culture across the Diaspora.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

“An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change.”—Kirkus Reviews