My Year in the Middle

Recommended Ages: 8-12

Written by Lila Quintero Weaver.

Sixth-grader Lu Olivera just wants to fit in and get along with her classmates. But as her old friends become boy-crazy and make hurtful remarks about her talent for running track, Lu feels increasingly isolated. She secretly hopes to befriend fellow runner Belinda Gresham, but in the racially divided town of Red Grove, Alabama, in 1970, interactions between black and white students are severely restricted. 

As tensions rise with segregationist George Wallace campaigning against Governor Albert Brewer, Lu realizes she can't stay neutral in the face of the racial divide at her school. This poignant story follows her journey to find the courage to stand up for what’s right, as she seeks out friendships with those who share her commitment to justice and equality. Lu learns that true friendship and standing up for one’s beliefs can change the world around her.