Cooper Dale is meant to shine and so are you. Her thoughtful, reflective story will give you all the feels. May we all learn to accept and forgive our neighbors.

Thank you Dutton Books for Young Readers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: In 1963, amidst historical turmoil and personal struggles, fifth-grader Cooper Dale navigates race, class, and identity in a predominantly white town while searching for her own way to shine.

My review: *Radiant* is a beautifully written and moving novel in verse that captures the heart and complexity of growing up in the 1960s. Through Cooper Dale’s journey, young readers are introduced to the history and pop culture of the era while exploring themes of race, class, faith, and identity. As Cooper learns that Black is beautiful, she also grapples with the power of forgiveness, discovering that kindness, love, and acceptance can shine even in difficult times. Heartwarming and powerful, this historical fiction novel is a must-read for middle-grade audiences.

Genres/Themes: Juvenile Fiction / Stories in Verse / African American / Historical - United States - 20th Century

Radiant is scheduled for publication on January 7, 2025, by Dutton Books for Young Readers.

This tender novel in verse details one girl's journey to acceptance of her race as she learns how to shine.

This lovely novel in verse is about Cooper Dale, a fifth grader who is the youngest child of a loving and supportive family in Pennsylvania in 1963. Cooper is worried about her new teacher, who has a reputation for being strict and she also sits next to a boy who is often mean to her. Cooper finds a way through, in a kind and loving way. Her wonderful family supports and guides her along her path through some of the historical events of that year. Kids are going to enjoy Cooper's beautiful voice and the wonderful images that Nelson creates with her poetry.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars - (Outstanding)
Setting: A predominantly white community near Pittsburgh
Genre: Historical Fiction (Middle Grade Novel in Verse)

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson’s Radiant is a beautifully written, deeply moving novel in verse that captures the struggles and triumphs of a young Black girl coming of age in a turbulent time. Set in 1963, against the backdrop of the Birmingham church bombing and the Kennedy assassination, the novel follows Cooper Dale as she navigates the complexities of race, class, and self-acceptance in a predominantly white community.

Cooper is an instantly relatable and endearing protagonist. Her voice is authentic, brimming with honesty, vulnerability, and quiet strength. As she faces bullying, self-doubt, and the weight of the world’s injustices, she also finds joy in music, family, and the small victories that help her grow into herself. Nelson’s lyrical writing makes every emotion feel raw and immediate, immersing readers in Cooper’s journey of discovering what it truly means to “shine.”

This is a book that doesn’t just tell a story—it feels like an experience. It’s a poignant reminder of the power of resilience, love, and identity, making it a must-read for young readers and adults alike. Radiant is a shining gem of historical middle-grade fiction that will linger in your heart long after the final page. #netgalley #radiant #booked_this_weekend

*Radiant* by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is a powerful middle-grade novel in verse that captures the struggles and resilience of Cooper Dale, a Black girl growing up in 1960s America. Secretly, Cooper wishes she were white, hoping it would make life at her mostly white school easier. But as she navigates everyday microaggressions, historical events like the assassination of JFK, and unexpected connections with classmates, she begins to realize that there’s more than one way to shine. Nelson’s spare yet deeply emotional verse makes Cooper’s journey both accessible and profoundly moving. With its rich historical context and themes of identity, empathy, and self-acceptance, *Radiant* is a perfect classroom read. It can spark discussions on civil rights, social justice, and personal growth while offering students opportunities to explore poetry as a form of storytelling.

Thank you Netgalley and Dutton Books for Young Reader for this ARC.

I just finished the verse novel “Radiant” by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. I related to the main character, “Cooper” on so many levels especially being the only person of color in predominantly white spaces. I too have felt like I had to “shine” to be accepted or even welcomed. I also appreciated her supportive family. They demonstrated that love and empathy rule the day. It’s a must read.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this MG text in verse, first and foremost, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson’s style of writing. She makes excellent use of the verse medium, and I would absolutely discuss several of these poems in my classroom.

I wish she had explored more of the historical aspects of the setting. There are a few mentions of events (Kennedy’s assassination, the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, etc.), but not much of a deep dive.

One aspect I personally struggled with was the significant presence of religion throughout the book. (Possible spoiler.) The main character spends most of the book working towards forgiving and empathizing with a racist classmate (particularly after learning his mother is sick), even though he demonstrates minimal remorse for his actions. I wasn’t expecting that to be the main plot of the story, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy.

Spot on tone for this historical fiction novel in verse exploring racism in the 1960s. Believable characters with strong family relationships, and growth. The protagonist realizes perceptions of others don’t always hold true. Fun sprinkling of Beatles fandom.

Cooper Dale lives with her parents and siblings in 1960s Pittsburgh. She has a huge, loving, extended family and lots of friends at school and in the community. At school, Cooper is the only "colored" child in her class and at times, Cooper wishes she was white. For a start, this would stop the cruel comments from a boy in her class, Wade Carter. Cooper speaks to different people for advice and asks how they might deal with it but their suggestions don't quite sit right with her. There are several events, however, that make Cooper reconsider how she wants to be: she and her sister, Maxine, discover a mutual love for The Beatles; learning that her "Queen of Darkness" fifth grade teacher may not be quite so bad and her mother going to work for bully Wade's family. These seemingly insignificant events really make Cooper think about herself and she begins to accept and love who she is.

I really enjoyed this book. I like a novel in verse and this one was nicely done. The characters were well-written and realistic and I  especially liked Cooper, her parents, Pap and Hakim.

A quick read, well worth it.

Radiant is beautifully written, emotionally captivating and an all around important work of historical fiction. I loved how so many of the verses were about Cooper’s emotions and how those emotions evolved throughout the story. It is incredible to me how much power can be contained in so few words. Vaunda Micheaux Nelson does an amazing job crafting such a significant novel in verse that kids and adults will love to read.

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Radiant. Dutton Books For Young Readers, 2025, 9780593855782. $18.99. 320p. Grades 5-9
Description: At the beginning of the 1963 school year, Cooper Dale is really struggling with being a Black girl in a vastly White community in Pittsburgh, PA. With references to historical events like the Birmingham church bombing, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the rising fame of The Beatles, readers get to see some of the realities of being a Black family in a predominantly White community in the 1960’s. While Cooper tries to navigate fifth grade being bullied by a well-off student in her class and having a very strict teacher, she also starts to see the world differently than she had before.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this middle grade novel in verse. I think seeing the empathy that Cooper has for her classmate Wade was really refreshing. This would make a solid addition to any middle level library!
Historical Fiction
Tags: Civil Rights Era, Pennsylvania, Discrimination and Prejudice, Racial Discrimination, Adversity, Social Awareness, Novel-In-Verse, Bullying

Thank you to NetGalley for the free arc!

Radiant is a well-written novel in verse about a fifth grade black girl (Cooper), growing up in Pennsylvania in the 1960s. The author does a great job portraying Cooper’s feelings about being the only “colored” person in her class and how that changes with the arrival of Hakim, the second black student. The author does a good job describing how Cooper navigates through historical events of the decade (the assassination of JFK, the Beatles’ TV performances, Malcolm X, etc.). Another storyline weaved throughout the book is her complicated feelings toward Wade, a white classmate who is first introduced as her bully. However, when his mom becomes sick, Cooper turns to her religion to navigate her feelings around this situation.

Secretly, Cooper Dale wishes she were white. Maybe then her otherwise white fifth grade classmates would treat her like everyone else. But growing up Black in 1960s America is not easy at the best of times, and Cooper does whatever she can to avoid standing out. Despite the difficulties she faces, however, Cooper knows she can be radiant, even though accomplishing this goal is more challenging than she expects. And when she begins learning more about an unkind classmate’s life, Cooper finds that there is more than one way to shine bright. This middle grade novel in verse is told from Cooper’s perspective through brief but profound passages of text. The limited word choice and ample white space make the book highly accessible to a wide range of readers, and the poetry within the text makes the emotions Cooper feels remarkably palpable. From historical moments like the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to the daily microaggressions Cooper encounters at school, the narrative feels both honest and tangible for readers of all backgrounds. Cooper’s tenacity stands out throughout the novel, and the book serves as both a window and a mirror for readers depending on their own backgrounds and life experiences. Poignant and memorable, this is a positive addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

Cooper is navigating 5th grade in this lovely novel in verse. Set in Pittsburgh in the early 1960’s, Cooper deals with school and family drama surrounded by people who love her through all of it. Recommended!

Radiant is the story of a young Black girl growing up in the 60s coming to terms with the inequalities she faces due to her skin color. A story that tugs at your heart strings as we all can relate to trying to find our place in the world. Cooler Dale wrestles with why it matters what color your skin in and she is determined to shine and be radiant no matter what. Along the way she learns to look past people’s actions and see the deeper reasons for the way they behave underneath as well as discovering first impressions aren’t always what they seem and we shouldn’t rely on other people’s opinions to judge others. Bringing in historical events like the assassination of John F Kennedy and the Beatles coming to America, the story feels like a snippet out of a girl’s diary during that time in history. I really enjoyed it and think it’s a timely book with many issues and questions we are still struggling with today. With Wicked being so popular, I loved the tie ins with the Wizard of Oz and how Cooper asked some of the same questions about the Wicked Witch that people are asking about Elphaba regarding how her skin color truly affects her life and her choices.

Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is a novel in verse set in 1963. As Cooper Dale starts 5th grade, she feels that she's in for a rough year because her teacher has a reputation for sternness. Cooper just wants to shine in everything she does, but will this teacher thwart her efforts? Will the class bully continue to taunt her? It's hard enough being one of the only Black kids in the whole school without these issues to contend with. Radiant is a quick and delightful read about learning to shine through adversity.

Big thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group, Dutton Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for a review copy of this wonderful book.

What a fantastic novel in verse!
Cooper Dale is such a likeable character, and I think we can all find ourselves in her. Whether it's our race or the shape of our bodies or our joy over boy bands, we can all learn from how Cooper deals with the bullying at school, her family's race, and her personal convictions. I'll be recommending this one to all my readers.

This was a sweet novel in verse that looks at the experience of being black in America in the 60s through a little girl's eyes. I like these style of books because 1) the verse makes the story move along but it also invites the reader to stop and consider what is not said in addition to what is said. Because the narrator is a child and she is living these experiences, sometimes she shows emotion over the unfairness of things, but often she just accepts things as being what they are. I think this invites some meaningful discussions for youth book clubs or classrooms to consider how Wade's words would be received today. And what they think of Cooper finding forgiveness and redemption even when (to me) it felt like Wade hadn't asked for forgiveness or had a lot more work to do to make reparations.

It also showed how big some problems can feel to children and how they might be right but sometimes those in power can't or won't see their side of things.

Radiant is a beautifully written novel in verse. All Cooper wants is to shine, But she finds herself encountering obstacle after obstacle...being the only non-white student in her class, her classmate Wade who bullies her relentlessly, having the teacher of her nightmares and wishing she could skip to 6th grade. But there are bright moments for Cooper, as well. She, along with her sister, discovers the newest musical sensation, The Beatles. She helps Pap raise new pointer puppies. Cooper learns about family, about herself, and about giving grace to others as she navigates her way through this story. The brevity of text will appeal to reluctant readers, while the story will appeal to all.