By author Julius Lester

When Dad Killed Mom by Julius Lester recounts the story and events leading up to and after the death of Rachel Richards, the mother of Jenna and Jeremy. The books recalls, through the thoughts and actions of each child, they day they found out that their well-educated, popular father killed their artist mother on the town square of their little community.

Jenna and Jeremy are a brother and sister duo who are not unlike many brother- sister relationships in real life. Each child sided with a parent and often played favorites among each. Because of the tragic event of their mother’s murder, Jenna and Jeremy must dig deeper to find the truth about their parents and more importantly, who they are now as independent children.

Julius Lester has created a work that not only addresses the feeling of a child who has essentially lost both parents, but also creates a plot that is multifaceted. When Dad Killed Mom is a hard read to be honest. It jumps back and forth between each child. Likewise, when detailing their feelings regarding their loss, Mr. Lester often portrays one, if not both, superficially.

While this an interesting book to read, it was not what I thought it was going to be. I thought that it was interesting that a man would create a work centered on that of a teenage girl and her younger brother. While some accounts are obviously realistic, many are just too hard to wrap you head around knowing that the author is writing from such a different perspective.

Other books by Lester: To Be a Slave, Let’s Talk About Race, and Do Lord Remember Me