Ace of Spades

A YA novel with a fast-paced and mysterious plot, this novel’s dynamic and complex characters navigate their last year of high school at the prestigious Niveus Private Academy, where they are the only Black students. Their narratives become interwoven because of a mysterious antagonist, Aces, who targets them because they are Black and aims to traumatize them. This book, appropriate for Grade 9–12 readers, highlights the power of voice and encourages readers to question and address racial inequity. In the classroom, the book lends itself well to a book club, and it may invite discussions about racism, classism, homophobia, bullying, BIPOC experiences, and the Black Lives Matter movement. In the classroom, the idea of social eugenics may be explored, and students may be prompted to discuss the antagonist’s motive.