McBride, Amber. Leaving Room, The. Feiwel & Friends, 10/2025. 224pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-2509-0808-7. GRADES 10–12. OUTSTANDING.
Taking place over four minutes, The Leaving Room is the lyrically stunning, first-person narrative of Gospel, a Keeper of the Leaving, who helps children pass between life and death. Throughout the book, as her true purpose and origin story slowly unfold, she cooks Southern-style comfort food for each visitor, shares authentic recipes, plays mancala, and creates inviting spaces for them to rest. In the cover illustration, Gospel presents as Black. The Leaving Room is structured into chapters based on the rules that Gospel must follow and the stages of grieving. It is written in verse with a mysterious ambiance, emotionally evocative, uncomplicated language, making it accessible to a variety of reading abilities. Appropriate for an audience as young as twelve, The Leaving Room is a story of transcendent love that leaves readers with heartbreak, redemption, and joy.
Lesley Golkin—San José State University iSchool Student