About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the complexities of social justice, the nuances of true friendship, or the feeling of being an outsider within their own family. It is a powerful tool for navigating the messy intersection of personal ethics and societal expectations. Set in 1963, the story follows Fiona, a white girl who flees a volatile home life and finds sanctuary with Yolanda, a Black former classmate in the Bronx. While the historical setting provides distance, the emotional weight of poverty, racial tension, and the search for safety remains deeply relevant for readers aged 12 and up. Parents might choose this book to open a dialogue about systemic inequality and the courage it takes to act against the grain of one's upbringing. It is a realistic, unflinching look at how the places we are born into do not always define where we belong.
