Fabiola Toussant, the main character in American Street by Ibi Zoboi, is a 16 year old Haitian immigrant who is separated from her mother and is struggling to adjust to life in the United States with her aunt and cousins. This book is set in West Detroit, and many of the places mentioned in the book are real places. The Aunt’s house is located on the corner of American St. and Joy road. I used Google Maps to get a picture of that corner, and it fits the description in the book. Fabiola is faced with difficult choices and circumstances, and the tone of the book is quite dark. However, it was interesting to read a description of life in Detroit from the perspective of someone that moved here from a poverty stricken island. You might be surprised by which she preferred.
