Needy Little Things
Sariyah, a Black 17-year-old, has a unique ‘gift’ for hearing the needs of strangers, but it won’t seem to allow her to hear the needs of those closest to her. This ability intrudes on Sariyah’s daily interactions, adding to the challenges she navigates due to family circumstances. Sariyah’s brother is unwell with Sickle cell disease, her mother struggles with depression and while her parents are still together, her father opted to stay in their original home when the rest of the family relocated because of her brother’s health condition.
Meanwhile, Sariyah and her best friend Malcolm are still coming to terms with the unsolved disappearance of Malcolm’s twin sister Tessa five years ago. Malcolm is tortured by the reality that his sister’s disappearance would have gotten more attention if she had been white. Sharing this frustration Sariyah is also guilt-ridden that her ‘gift’ could not be used to help find Tessa. When their friend Deja goes missing, Sariyah and Malcolm are determined that this time will be different. The friends begin a campaign to make Deja’s disappearance go viral in the hope that this will help find her. Convinced that the police will not take Deja’s disappearance seriously they begin their own search for clues.
Exploring complex themes, Desamours has written an edge of the seat YA thriller with a twist the reader will not see coming. She tackles important themes and gives voice to young people of colour, while celebrating their strength and resilience throughout.
