My So-Called Family

Twelve-year-old Ash doesn't need her foster family to love her. What she needs is a family that will respect and care for her. But her experiences as a foster child have taught her that adults are untrustworthy. A family tree school assignment exacerbates her feelings of loneliness and otherness among her classmates and in her new foster placement with Gladys, who's also "temporarily" caring for her adult son, his wife, and their infant child. When the project pressures her to reveal too much about herself ("I'm not a huge fan of sharing my feelings"), and concerns about being disrespected at school and at home become overwhelming, Ash finds solace in her superhero alter ego while hiding in her favorite tree. But when her physical safety is threatened, Ash must fight her instinctive self-concealment to learn who she can trust. In her debut middle grade novel, Gordon (The Redemption of Daya Keane) touches on themes of gender identity and sexuality to deliver a strong message about the necessity of letting in people who will see and support one's most authentic self. The inclusion of supportive adults who actively work to earn Ash's trust, especially as she struggles between self-protection and vulnerability, populate this sensitive read. Ages 8-12. (Nov.)

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A finely drawn and cleanly written story that will give readers hope