June 2021 Community Read: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Red book cover.

The library is holding a community read of Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid!

What is a community read?

We’re encouraging everyone in Demarest to read (or listen to) Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid and join us for a hybrid in-person and Zoom discussion on Wednesday, June 9.

What’s the book about?

Such a Fun Age explores the lives of mother and entrepreneur Alix Chamberlain and her babysitter, Emira Tucker, a Black twenty-something still searching for her purpose post-college. While watching Alix’s toddler one night, Emira is accused of kidnapping by store security at a local high-end supermarket. Emira is mortified and Alix resolves to make things right. The incident brings about a surprising connection between the two women and, when a video of the confrontation goes viral, unravels their lives and relationship in unexpected ways.

How do I participate?

Step one: Read! You have several options for borrowing the book:

What next?

Join us for our hybrid socially-distanced in-person and Zoom discussion on Wednesday, June 9 at 7pm. Though registration is not required, we ask that you please sign up if you plan to attend so we can make appropriate preparations.

I want to read the book but I don’t want to go to the discussion.

That’s okay! Whether you can’t attend the discussion or just aren’t interested, we still encourage you to read along. You can also find resources below if you’re interested in learning more about the author, the book, what to read next, or in having a discussion group of your own.

Additional Resources

About the Author

Visit Kiley Reid’s website
Kiley Reid’s GoodReads Author Page

Reviews of Such a Fun Age

BookPage review of Such a Fun Age
Kirkus review of Such a Fun Age
New York Times review of Such a Fun Age
NPR review of Such a Fun Age
Publishers Weekly review of Such a Fun Age
Washington Post review of Such a Fun Age

Interviews with Kiley Reid

Kiley Reid’s interview with The Booker Prize
Kiley Reid’s interview with BookPage
Kiley Reid on The Daily Show
Kiley Reid on WNYC’s All of It

Such a Fun Age Discussion Guide

Download the discussion guide here.

What to Read Next

Fiction

Dominicana by Angie Cruz
Dreams, fulfilled and unfilled, are recurring themes throughout both of these own voices novels. Each expertly tackles the significance of finding a chosen family. Set in the Dominican Republic and New York during the 1960s, Cruz’s novel centers on a young woman who marries to help her family immigrate to America. Ana (like Emira) is a persevering heroine, who navigates complex family and cultural dynamics to forge her own way. (From NoveList.)

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Another coming-of-age novel that delicately explores the nuances of a black woman dating a white man. The titular character Queenie navigates heartbreak after an unexpected breakup, an interesting counterpoint to Emira, whose blossoming romance isn’t a guaranteed ticket to happiness. (From NoveList.)

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Nuances of race and class are central to both of these novels. Each traces the lives of white mothers who employ black women to care for their children, and their attempts reconcile issues of privilege and unequal power dynamics. (From NoveList.)

Luster by Raven Leilani
While Sun a Fun Age is set in Philadelphia and Luster is set in New York, each coming of age novel traces the life of a black woman searching for companionship in her post-college years. Luster’s Edie (reminiscent of Emira in Such a Fun Age) finds herself unexpectedly drawn to white benefactors, with similarly dubious consequences. (From NoveList.)

The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Both novels feature a character that finds themselves asking the question: What would their lives have looked like if they had chosen differently? Both books eloquently deal with the complexities of guilt, shame, and regret. (From NoveList.)

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Both explore Black generational wealth. Black characters in Red at the Bone discover what it means to be middle-class in an unequal society. This will resonate with readers interested in Emira’s experience of being the first in her family to go to college. (From NoveList.)

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones
Although Silver Sparrow is set in 1980s Atlanta and Such a Fun Age is set in 2010s Philadelphia, both revolve around young black women attempting to find their place in the world and seeking to differentiate themselves from their parents. Both also offer strong YA appeal. (From NoveList.)

Non-Fiction

Motherhood So White by Nefertiti Austin
Austin’s moving memoir recounts her experiences adopting and raising two black sons in a predominately white environment. Similar to Such a Fun Age, it shows how parenting – particularly motherhood – is examined through the lenses of race and class. (From NoveList.)