Shut Up You're Pretty was one of the contenders for the CBC Canada Reads 2024, and so it was displayed front and center at Chapters where I purchased it because I liked the title and the cover.

This book is a series of short vignettes about the life of a Congolese woman whose family immigrated to Scarborough, less than 4 kilometers from where I lived as a little girl. When I left Scarborough for a series of townhouses in Sudbury, the lifestyles were much the same. I did not grow up innocent enough to not get this. The writing style was so comfortable to read as I nodded along and thought, yep, that's what they do. While I could both relate and not relate throughout, I was immersed. I would recommend this book to non-prudes and those looking for essential BIPOC reads.