I’ll be adding this to the middle school library. I do think that the book lightly touches on some tough issues but loses some impact due to the way the author skirts the issue. I do love the message and the cast of characters.

Madalyn's 6th grade year was the worst, with her best friend moving away, dad losing his job, and then a move of her own. All of this resulted in her going to a terrible middle school. The next school year, in order for Madalyn to go to a better school, she moves in during the week with her great-uncle, Papa Lobo. Madalyn is the only black girl in her class, but she makes some new friends on the first day of school. Things get difficult when one of them starts to say and do things that make Madalyn feel uncomfortable. Can Madalyn stay friends with her? Can she have the tough conversation she needs to have with the friend? When fire threatens both of their families, the girls are thrown together for better or worse.
Madalyn’s story has so much potential but misses the mark a little. It has a great approach to talking about racism from the perspective of a young black girl, and it is very accessible for middle grade readers. But the story has what feels like a fair amount of dead time where day to day actions are described that don’t move the story forward. Madalyn learns some valuable lessons about speaking up and helping others from both her mom and Uncle Lobo. I just wish there had been more to the plot.

To attend a better school, Madalyn has to go live with her great uncle while dad starts a new job and mom has more hours. She can still see mom in weekends but it’s not enough. Then when Madalyn thought she had made a new friend with Natalie she senses Natalie is racist. Is she? When fires start and Natalie is forced to stay with Madalyn, they both find there were miscommunications and that friendship takes practice. Madalyn finds that living in a new place, having new friends and being homesick is hard, but she has learned to be a better friend.