A Novel: The Parker Inheritance

Varian Johnson

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Varian Johnson has a new book, his first graphic novel, being released with illustrator Shannon Wright that was just released on October 6th! Order Twins here!

A story of a young girl, Candace, who moves with her mother to a new town where her grandmother once lived. Upon finding an old letter addressed to her grandmother giving clues to a great fortune sends Candace and her new friend Brandon on an adventure through the small town's past. Past residents, past injustices, past stories, all play a part in the puzzle of clues to finding the fortune awaiting the person who finds it.

The video here is author Varian Johnson introducing his book, The Parker Inheritance. This video helps affirm that this text is culturally authentic. It is based upon a small town in South Carolina in which Johnson grew up. The book has also won many awards, one of which being the Corretta Scott Book Award which award books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators and reflect African American life experience.

The Story Behind the Story

Upon researching the back story behind The Parker Inheritance, I found a section of Johnson's website dedicated to the story behind the novel. Varian Johnson writes that the book was influenced by The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, but also focuses on real social justice issues in the workings of the mystery. Much of the book was actually inspired by an interaction Johnson had with his brother back in high school. This interaction was when a patrolling police officer approached the two young boys suspecting drug smuggling in the airport because they "looked out of place." Johnson writes that he knew then that the officer was lying about his justifications for stopping them. Their hug in the airport, them being identical twins; they did not look like suspicious strangers meeting for the first time. The officer fell to a level of perception that much of our society has fallen to. A level of perception in which perception is manipulated to only see people as their society-given labels/stereotypes and not as the people they are.

Read more about this background here or by exploring Johnson's website.

Reading The Parker Inheritance

The Parker Inheritance, written from a third person point of view, gives the reader a unique experience of living this story alongside the characters. Yes, I would have loved to experience Candice's thoughts running through her head or thinking process when unraveling the mystery. Yes, I would have been wrapped up in the story line if it were from Brandon's point of view. However, the third-person narrative had me as a fly on the wall in all the character's experiences. This narrative is essential and foundational to the building of this novel to give the reader a "full-picture" in different characters experiences as well as in different time periods.