Welcome to Litsy!

This book should be handed to every middle schooler in America. Shayla and her struggles - both macro and micro - are so compelling, and I loved watching her learn that getting in trouble isn't always a bad thing. Can we get her eighth grade year next, please? #mglit

When you‘re yelling at a character, you know you‘re all in. Shayla is handling typical middle school struggles about friends & boys while also navigating racial identity & responses to injustice in her community. This is an excellent novel to help kids process the unjust world in which they live.

Next up in audio: Tears We Cannot Stop. Finishing up books I was distracted away from in 2020 is working out well for me so far.

#BlackLivesMatter

What an incredible story of growing up and trying to find a way to fit in. Completely eye opening to the culture mix in out Schools.and how kids are trying to.identify where they fit in.

At first I was like this book seemed a bit juvenile but now I am beginning to relate with the young character and her desire to connect with others especially in understand her own race. As an adult I can find myself struggling to connect with my own race. Not born on the USA but being here 34 of my 38 years I feel at limbo because I am neither able to connect with people from or there at times. Ugh

Currently listening to this and I am really enjoying it. It‘s very fitting for what‘s going on in the world today

A good middle grade book about friendship, family, and trying to figure out what you believe and where you belong.

Junior high is tough. Shayla has to navigate friends, crushes, what to do when someone you like likes someone else, the hurt of when a BFF doesn‘t want to hang out with you but with their new friends instead, and Black Lives Matter. Sometimes good girls have to break the rules. Loved the interactions between Julia, Isabella, and Shayla. Quick and easy read that‘s hard to put down.

Heard a lot of good things about this book and it‘s brand new to the Clift Library! Can‘t wait to recommend it to my students 💙#WeNeedDiverseBooks #BlackLivesMatter

Stayed up late last night to finish this. So worth it! 7th grader Shayla is dealing with all sorts of middle school problems- shifting friendships, unrequited crushes, exploring new interests, all while trying to answer some heavy questions around racial identity. She is one of only a handful of black students at her school. Ramée does a beautiful job of weaving the different parts of Shayla‘s life together as she tries to navigate adolescences.

I‘m liking this book so far. This is a journal entry from Shayla, the protagonist, after her teacher takes a brief break from their study of Emerson to share a Nelson Mandela quote.