"Nightcrawling" by Leila Mottley is an unflinching and haunting portrayal of youth in the margins. Our protagonist, Kiara Johnson, finds herself navigating a precarious existence in Oakland with a formidable burden on her shoulders. With her mother incapacitated and a brother obsessed with his musical aspirations, Kiara takes charge of her own fate—and that of a nine-year-old neighbor. When faced with the escalating threat of homelessness, she takes to the streets at night, a decision that propels her into the malicious undercurrents of authority. An encounter with corrupt police offers Kiara an agonizing choice: testify against the systemic rot or protect her loved ones from vengeful retribution. Raw, vulnerable, and electrifying, Mottley's narrative doesn't shy away from the stark realities of societal failure, while simultaneously offering a powerful testament to resilience and the human spirit.