A wonderful middle-grade fantasy debut about Black families, family history, family curses ... and a really marvelous pair of spectacles. ★ "Shawl imaginatively winds suspense, humor, and loss in this story that shows how the past isn't so far behind us. . . Readers see the importance of oral storytelling: The book celebrates it as a shining beacon for those of us who still have elders who can tell stories while offering space to mourn traditions and loved ones we've lost." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review