Sincerely Sicily

From debut author Tamika Burgess comes the captivating and empowering story of Sicily Jordan—a Black Panamanian fashionista who rocks her braids with pride—who learns to use her voice and take pride in who she is while confronting prejudice in the most unexpected of places.

Sicily Jordan’s worst nightmare has come true! She’s been enrolled in a new school, with zero of her friends and stuck wearing a fashion catastrophe of a uniform. But however bad Sicily thought sixth grade was going to be, it only gets worse when she does her class presentation.

While all her classmates breezed through theirs, Sicily is bombarded with questions on how she can be both Black and Panamanian. She wants people to understand, but it doesn’t feel like anyone is ready to listen—first at school and then at home. Because when her abuela starts talking mess about her braids, Sicily’s the only one whose heart is being crumpled for a second time.

Staying quiet may no longer be an option, but that doesn’t mean Sicily has the words to show the world just what it means to be a proud Black Panamanian either. Even though she hasn’t written in her journal since her abuelo passed, it’s time to pick up her pen again—but will it be enough to prove to herself and everyone else exactly who she is?

• Afro-Latina Identity: When her classmates and even her own abuela question her heritage, Sicily must dig deep to understand what it means to be a proud Black girl from a Panamanian family.
• Middle School Drama: Starting sixth grade at a new school is tough enough without friends, but facing down microaggressions during a class presentation is Sicily’s worst nightmare.
• A Love Letter to Braids: From rocking her cornrows with pride to defending them against her grandmother's old-fashioned ideas, Sicily's hair is a celebration of her culture and a source of her strength.
• Heartfelt Family Conflict: Sicily loves her abuela, but when the woman she looks up to criticizes a core part of who she is, it forces a painful conversation that could change their family forever.
• The Power of Writing: To sort through the confusion, Sicily picks up the journal her beloved abuelo gave her, using her own words to discover the power she's had all along.