When It's Your Turn for Midnight
When fifteen-year-old Chianti learns that her dad isn’t her biological father, her family splinters.
Chianti goes to stay with her maternal grandmother, Ambuya, an eccentric and formidable ex-freedom fighter in Zimbabwe’s civil war.
Ambuya’s closest neighbors are the gogos: her three best-friends-turned-business-partners, who take Chianti under their wings. They make a living by upcycling choice items of secondhand clothing—when their supply chain’s not being disrupted by thieves.
In between helping with the gogos’ business, Chianti becomes fascinated by a box of her grandmother’s old photos. As she wrestles with the ghosts of their past as well her own, she realizes that time is slippery, that family isn’t defined by blood, and that it’s never too late for a transformation.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
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979-8-7656-8913-4
On pre-order until 04/07/2026
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$18.99 | |
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979-8-7656-9156-4
On pre-order until 04/07/2026
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$23.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 8 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 8 |
| Genre | Young Adult |
| Category | SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2026 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Carolrhoda Lab ® |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 184 |
| Publication Date | 2026-04-07 |
Author: Blessing Musariri
Blessing Musariri is a Zimbabwean writer who has published short stories, poems, and novels. Her most recent YA novel, All That It Ever Meant (Zephyr/Head of Zeus and Norton, 2022), received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal, was a Junior Library Guild selection, and was chosen as an honor book by the Children’s Africana Book Awards. Blessing has worked as a freelance editing and proofreading consultant and as an English teacher.
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When It's Your Turn for Midnight
When fifteen-year-old Chianti learns that her dad isn’t her biological father, her family splinters. Chianti goes to stay with her maternal grandmother, Ambuya, an eccentric and formidable ex-freedom fighter in Zimbabwe’s civil war. Ambuya’s closest… View available downloads →
Reviews
Booklist
“In the end, [Musariri] has taken an age-old narrative—the meaning of family—and given it a wholly fresh, new look.”—Booklist
School Library Journal
“A brief, beautiful Zimbabwean novel about war and family . . .”—School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews
“A sparkling jewel of a story grounded in emotional truths.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews