Neither Out Far Nor In Deep is a young adult coming-of-age tale by Leah T. Williams. After embroiling himself in yet another fight in school, seventeen-year-old Kadeem Johnson once again finds himself suspended, much to the chagrin of his mother, Gwendolyn. Tired of her son's antics, Gwendolyn books a flight out of Orlando and, with Kadeem, travels to her ancestral island of St. Kitts. Much to Kadeem's displeasure, she leaves him with her father, a no-nonsense old-school islander with a distinct accent who takes it upon himself to teach young Kadeem the ways to adulthood. Initially angry at his mother for leaving him in another country and reluctant to pay attention to his grandfather's words, Kadeem slowly learns to assume responsibility for his actions and sees a whole new world outside video games and junk food.

Full of humor and heart, Neither Out Far Nor In Deep is a charming coming-of-age story that puts a smile on your face. Author Leah T. Williams' young adult novel follows a young man's foray into the land of his ancestors as he learns to outgrow his past mistakes under the tutelage of his eccentric grandfather. The characters are believable and grounded, making them all the more relatable. Kadeem's evolution from a naive city brat to a young man who embraces the island life feels authentic and organic. His relationship with his grandfather was one of my favorite aspects of the book. If you're looking for a well-written coming-of-age tale, this is the book for you.

Neither Out Far Nor In Deep by Leah T. Williams is a story about a spoiled 17-year-old who is sent off to live with his grandad in St. Kitts. Kadeem has been getting into fights at school. His single mother is at her wit's end. Without warning, she packs Kadeem’s bags and takes him to the airport. When he gets to his grandad’s house, Kadeem and his grandad are equally surprised to see each other. Upon Kadeem's mom’s tearful request, his grandad takes him in and enrolls him at the local high school. Kadeem doesn’t know how he can fit in with the heat, his grandad’s strange ways, and the island way of life. But a beautiful girl named Tess helps make it seem not so bad after all. Being in St. Kitts gives Kadeem the tools he needs to grow up.

I thought that Leah T. Williams did a great job of getting into the head of a teenage boy and expressing his thoughts. Not just what he thought, but how thought. Neither Out Far Nor In Deep is a brief and entertaining read. I think it will interest teens to read it as many will be able to relate to Kadeem, including my teenage self. It is one of those books that, through the protagonist's development, help the American reader lose some of their own perspectives in order to learn about and understand things about other countries and cultures. Neither Out Far Nor In Deep is a young adult book that is sure to appeal to many.