Shark Teeth

National Book Award longlisted Sherri Winston’s touching novel about a girl trying to keep her family together as she's falling apart.

Sharkita “Kita” Hayes is always waiting.
Waiting for her mama to mess up.
Waiting for social services to be called again.
Waiting for her and her siblings to be separated.
Waiting for her worst fear to come true.

But Mama promises things are different now. She’s got a good job, she’s stopped drinking, stopped going out every night—it’s almost enough to make Kita believe her this time. But she still can’t shake the feeling that everything could go up in flames at any moment. And when her dance coach starts asking questions, Kita is more determined than ever to make sure her family stays together—even if it means falling apart herself. But could it be that Kita’s worst fear is actually the best thing that could happen to her family?

Sherri Winston is the author of National Book Award longlist title Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution, President of the Whole Fifth Grade (a Sunshine State Young Readers Award selection), President of the Whole Sixth Grade (a Kids’ Indie Next pick), President of the Whole Sixth Grade: Girl Code, The Sweetest Sound (a Kirkus Best Book of the Year), Jada Sly: Artist & Spy, and The Kayla Chronicles. Before Sherri was an author, she was a longtime newspaper writer and columnist. She grew up in Michigan and now lives with her daughters in Orlando, Florida.