DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER

With his empathetic narration, Michael Levi Harris captures the emotional heart of this sequel to DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY. Things are looking up: Darius is on his high school's soccer team, he has a new job at his favorite Portland tea shop, and he has a boyfriend. But life is still confusing, complicated, and imperfect. Harris is especially adept at communicating the love and support of Darius's family, even as they're all dealing with their own issues. And through Darius's video calls to Iran, listeners hear the depth of the special relationships he has with his Persian grandmother and his best friend, Sohrab. This understated and appealing YA novel is full of feelings about adolescence, finding oneself, and growing up. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2020]