About This Book
Reach for this book when your middle-grade reader begins noticing the cracks in the adult world, whether through the subtle shifts of a parents' failing marriage or the overt tensions of social injustice. Set in 1965 Los Angeles, this story follows Sophie, a twelve-year-old girl navigating a summer of profound change within her own household and her changing neighborhood. It is an essential choice for families looking to validate a child's intuition about domestic stress while providing historical context for racial dynamics in America. The narrative balances the intimate pain of a family pulling apart with the broader, explosive reality of the Watts Riots. Sophie's middle-class experience offers a nuanced look at identity and belonging, making it particularly appropriate for children ages 10 to 14. Parents will appreciate how the book models resilience and the development of a social conscience without providing easy, sugary resolutions to complex life problems.
