When the Black Girl Sings » (Reprint)

Bil Wright is the author of the highly acclaimed Sunday You Learn How to Box. His poetry and short fiction appear in several anthologies, including Shade, Black Like Us, The Road Before Us, and Black Silk. He lives in New York City.

Lahni Schuler is the only black student at her private prep school. She's also the adopted child of two loving, but white, parents who are on the road to divorce. Struggling to comfort her mother and angry with her dad, Lahni feels more and more alone. But when Lahni and her mother attend a local church one Sunday, Lahni hears the amazing gospel choir, and her life takes an unexpected turn.

It so happens that one of Lahni's teachers, Mr. Faringhelli, has nominated her for a talent competition, and she is expected to perform a song in front of the whole school. Lahni decides to join the church choir to help her become a better singer. But what starts out as a way to practice singing becomes a place of belonging and a means for Lahni to discover her own identity. In this moving book, acclaimed author Bil Wright tells the story of one girl's search to find a home where she truly belongs.

The Washington Post - Elizabeth Ward

There are a few thin characterizations…but the voices of Lahni and her miserable parents ring true. And Wright certainly knows how to make you feel the music.