The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert centers around the friendship of two young girls. Budding surfer Alberta is a bona fide California girl and loves her laid-back beach town--except, she’s been the only Black girl in her grade for years. When fellow 12-year-old Black girl Edie moves into town all the way from Brooklyn, Alberta gets excited: could Edie be a new friend? But, it seems like Edie is more into reading the Brontë sisters than hanging out at the local beach, which in her opinion is nowhere near as cool as Coney Island. However, as the girls stumble upon a historical mystery, their friendship begins to bloom. The Only Black Girls in Town is an engaging read that deals skillfully with the complexities of race, both past, and present, as well as the joys and pains of growing up.