On the shelf: Good as Gold

By Courtney Warren

When I recently went on a trip to Washington DC I was so excited to explore all of the bookstores. As we went around learning all of the historical facts we could, every single time there was a bookstore my students pointed them out. On a trip to National Harbor, as we got off the bus, we discovered a bookstore called Mahogany Books, which is African-American owned and when you walk through the doors, it’s so incredible to discover that every single book on the shelf is also written by African-Americans authors. I found several books but one that stood out to me was Good as Gold by Candace Buford. According to the publisher, Casey’s life in Langston has been charmed. She’s the queen bee of her prep school, a shoe-in for prom queen, and on her way to the Ivy League come fall. She can’t wait to leave the whole town of Langston behind her. That is until her father loses his job and she finds herself on the brink of losing her ticket out of town. 

The town of Langston is known for its picturesque lake and robust summer tourism. Everyone who lives in town has heard the rumors at some point-- there is a treasure buried deep below the surface that no one has ever been able to find. Few people actually believe in the treasure, and even fewer have searched for it. But some have tried . . . 

Suddenly an outcast from her popular squad, Casey falls in with a new group of friends who are exactly the opposite of her usual crowd, but are more accepting. Together they devise a plan to find the elusive treasure, in a quest to get the money and save Casey’s family and her future. But what they find is much more complicated than just a pile of gold. With thrilling twists and turns and high-stakes adventure, fans of Outer Banks will devour this summer adventure.

Things to note are that this book contains some explicit language but not sexual content. 

If you’re a fan of a great summer adventure I highly recommend this!