When Sam’s dad dies in a car accident, Sam is shuttled off to the dusty town of Holler, Oklahoma, to live with a long-lost aunt. The timelessness of Bridge to Terabithia meets the wonder of Big Fish in this bittersweet, magical story, perfect for fans of Barbara O’Connor, Lisa Graff, and Dan Gemeinhart. Her novels include the acclaimed So Done and its companion Dough Boys. Paula Chase is the cofounder of The Brown Bookshelf, a site designed to increase awareness of African American voices writing for young readers. Friendship, family, finding yourself, and standing your ground are the themes of this universal story that is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Rebecca Stead, and Renée Watson. Paula Chase explores the complex and emotional issues that affect many young teens in this novel set in the same neighborhood as her acclaimed So Done and Dough Boys. For Mo, that means not making waves in the prestigious and mostly White ballet intensive she’s been accepted to.īut what happens when Sheeda catches the eye of Mo’s older brother, and the invisible racial barriers to Mo’s success as a ballerina turn out to be not so invisible? What happens when you discover that being yourself isn’t good enough? How do you fight back? For Sheeda, that means keeping her friends close and following her deeply religious and strict aunt’s every rule. Told in dual perspectives, this provocative and timely novel for middle-school readers by Paula Chase, the acclaimed author of So Done and Dough Boys, will resonate with fans of Jason Reynolds, Rebecca Stead, and Renée Watson.īest friends Rasheeda and Monique are both good girls.

When being yourself isn't good enough, who should you be? Order one of the books below, and get exclusive Shelf Stuff swag, including tote bags and signed bookplates! Join bestselling authors Paula Chase, Kim Ventrella, and Saadia Faruqi for a special night of middle grade literature, moderated by Stephanie Appell Please click here to register to attend

Kim ventrella