The Kid brings us deep into the interior life of Abdul Jones, son of Sapphire's unforgettable heroine, Precious. Left alone by his mother's death to navigate in a world where love and hate sometimes hideously masquerade, forced to confront unspeakable violence, his history, and the dark corners of his own heart, Abdul claws his way toward adulthood. In a generational story that moves with the speed of thought from a Mississippi dirt farm to Harlem in its heyday, from a troubled Catholic orphanage to downtown artists' lofts, The Kid is a soaring tale of body and spirit, rooted in the hungers of flesh and of the soul.

"[P]owerful... affecting and harrowing."-Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

"A devastating voice, demanding and raw . . . an accomplished work of art."-The Los Angeles Times

"The breathtaking velocity and visceral power of her prose soars off the page...The Kid gives us a story and a narrative voice which, like his mother's before him, should definitely be heard."-The Guardian (UK)

"[Sapphire] remains fearlessly committed to telling uncomfortable truths... Like Push, The Kid is deeply moving and unflinching."-Essence

"The Kid's unflinching authenticity makes it tough yet ultimately rewarding to read."-People

"Steely-eyed, full-frontal daring."-Philadelphia Inquirer