Hey, White Girl, is author Judith Bice’s first novel. Although it is a work of fiction, it is inspired by her own experiences of desegregation busing in the U.S. in the 1950s. Hey, White Girl can be summed up in three words: A must read.

This compelling coming of age novel is well structured and conveys an impassioned story that explores social issues in emotionally resonant ways that feel utterly authentic. The novel is told from the point of view of the narrator, Nell Randolph, a teenage girl soon to be bussed from her local neighborhood to another school, as part of the desegregation program in the U.S. Hey, White Girl, is cleverly structured to show not only the narrator’s actions, but her reactions to the behavior of others, and her thoughts about not only her situation but those around her.

Hey, White Girl is set in the 70’s and that time period is described in rich detail that draws the reader into both the story and the political issues underpinning the story. Bice describes the differences Nell notices between her former school and her new school. She describes not only the physical state of the schools, but the sounds and smells as well. Neighborhoods are described in detail – once again with Nell’s beautifully naïve descriptions. The setting and descriptions cleverly encourage the reader to think about issues such as fairness, equality and equity.

The characters in this historical drama are authentic and well developed. The main character, Nell is portrayed as a somewhat innocent and naïve young lady. We follow her as she begins her bussing journey, and see her develop and mature overtime. Her initial trepidation slowly subsides as she begins to become open to new experiences. However, always in the background is the fact that her life experiences are not the same as some of her new friends, and we see her trying to grapple with this while developing a new understanding of the world around her, and the world she wants to live in. Nell’s character is developed by her thoughts and dialogue, and interactions with other important characters such as her family, old childhood friends and new friends. All of this makes for a very realistic story that feels like a fictional memoir.

Hey, White Girl is a work of fiction but the issues in this novel are very real and relevant even today. This novel does a fantastic job of showing the challenges average people faced in those tumultuous times. This is a heartfelt and thought-provoking coming of age story that stayed with me long after I put the book down.

Pages: 326 | ASIN: B09KFR1RCY