Who Put This Song On? by Morgan Parker
After seventeen-year-old Morgan tries to kill herself, she gets help for her depression. She lives in a mostly white, conservative suburb and attends a Christian high school, and as a result, she suffers from the isolation that causes a person of color. During the timeframe of the 2008 presidential election, she begins to find her own identity and educate others about being black in America.
Review from School Library Journal:
Seventeen-year-old African American teen Morgan lives in the California suburbs and attends a private evangelical Christian high school. Her race makes her stand out in this very homogenous space. She is really into music and sees events in her life through that lens. Her music and clothing choices cause her to be seen as "not really black" by her peers, even though she very much sees herself that way, experiencing common microaggressions in her everyday school life and beyond. She has developed a close crew of outcast friends, but the one thing she isn't comfortable telling them about is her suicide attempt over the summer. Medication is now making her life much easier. This title is based on the lived experiences of the author, a poet, which lends a poignant truth to the narrative. In spite of this, the representation of a suburban African American teen in these specific "outsider" circumstances is needed. In addition, this title will serve to open up conversations about black girls and mental health.