About This Book
Reach for this book when your teen is navigating the emotional fallout of a family member's legal crisis or feels like an outsider in a high-stakes environment. It is particularly powerful for children who are dealing with the stigma of having an incarcerated parent or who feel they must constantly prove their worth against unfair assumptions. The story follows Cali, a bright teen whose world is upended when her mother is arrested, forcing her to move from an urban neighborhood to a wealthy suburb where she must solve a mystery to clear her mother's name. This realistic mystery explores themes of systemic injustice, the complexity of family loyalty, and the resilience required to thrive in a new school. Parents will appreciate the way it balances a fast-paced thriller plot with a grounded, honest look at class and race in America. It offers a hopeful but realistic portrayal of a young woman taking agency over her life when the adults around her are unavailable.
