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 ​"While Jasmine at times had a strained relationship with her mother and although her father was M.I.A. for a period of time, it was refreshing to read about positive adults who affirmed Jasmine such as Aunt Angie and Mama Roxie. All too often, Black adults, especially family members, are absent in novels. When they do appear, they are usually stereotypical characters. In this book, the adults are complex, real people who are..." (read more...)​

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~Simone, 16 ​​​​

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"​​​​When I was asked to read A Tree Without Roots I did it because my mentor asked me to. I wasn’t clear about the topic or the plot but I was willing to read it. I was engaged from the opening scene. The author, Ms. Willis, describes Jasmine’s experience trying to press her hair with a hot comb. I was immediately taken back to the times when I was willing to suffer through the pain just so that I could have beautiful straight hair. This is just one example of how Ms. Willis captures the emotions that young black girls experience on a daily basis. The name..." (read more...)​

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~Kellie, 17



"I read this book in one weekend. She was telling my story. Throughout, elementary and middle school, I was glad to have long hair because I saw how poorly my friends were treated. While I felt bad for them, I was just happy because my hair was an asset. People would assume that I was mixed or from the West Indies and that would keep me out of a lot of conflicts. Even today I know that people attempt to become my friend because of my hair. This makes it hard for me to trust people. However, A Tree Without Roots, begins to uncover the source of the distrust and issues that infect our communities." (read more...)

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~Crystal, 17 



In her debut young adult novel, “Like a Tree Without Roots” author Teresa Ann Willis explicitly confronts the persistent problem of

“Like a Tree Without Roots” examines the universal teen desire to fit in with the peer group from a distinctly African American perspective. (Tewodross Melchishua) internalized self-hatred among African-descended people in the Americas. With language that is colloquial and easily accessible to young readers, Willis employs an almost journal-like style to examine issues of external beauty from a middle school girl’s perspective. (read more...)​

 

-Eisa Nefertari Ulen



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