A poignant, powerful debut that combines the deep emotion of The House on Mango Street with uniquely creative storytelling, painting a story of survival and healing. Unfolding in a series of vignettes,
A Little Piece of Sky introduces an endearing new novelist and a truly unforgettable main character--Song Byrd, a young girl who keenly reports on the world around her. She is African American in a mostly Hispanic neighborhood and the unwanted product of an adulterous affair. While she is poor in the material sense, Song is extraordinarily rich in spirit and it is that inner strength which saves her.
In piercingly insightful prose, Nicole Bailey-Williams takes readers on Song’s journey through life as she struggles with feeling like an outsider and intense guilt over her mother’s murder. Behind it all, places of pure joy, “dreaming the hurt away,” and glorious little pieces of sky shine through. Song’s tales--and Bailey-Williams’s narrative gift--are truly words to treasure.
A poignant, powerful debut that combines the deep emotion of "The House on Mango Street with uniquely creative storytelling.
Unfolding in a series of tiny vignettes, "A Little Piece of Sky introduces an endearing new novelist and a truly unforgettable main character. In the first few chapters we meet a little girl named Song Byrd, who keenly reports on the world around her. She is African American (in a mostly Hispanic neighborhood), unwanted (conceived during an adulterous affair), and poor in the material sense but extraordinarily rich in spirit.
In piercingly insightful prose, Nicole Bailey-Williams takes readers on Song's journey through life as she struggles against outsider status and intense guilt over her mother's murder. Behind it all, places of pure joy, "dreaming the hurt away," and glorious little pieces of sky shine through. Song's tales--and Bailey-Williams's narrative gift--are truly words to treasure.
"Searingly beautiful. Mrs. Bailey-Williams' impressive debut is nuanced, stark, and astonishing."
--Diane McKinney-Whetstone, author of Blues Dancing "Crisp, clean, and clear narration. Nicole Bailey-Williams has got what it takes, and you've got to read it."
--Omar Tyree, author of For the Love of Money "In a word, captivating. I found myself instantly drawn into Song's world, a place filled with emotion, struggle, and eventual triumph. We can only hope to see more page-turning works by this vibrant new voice on the literary scene."
--Patricia Haley, author of Nobody's Perfect "A powerful voice that moves smoothly between narrative and poignant drama. Her clear and fresh voice reads like poetry."
--William July II, author of Understanding the Tin Man 
