Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess

Gr 4-6--Eleven-year-old Macy McMillan, who is deaf, is struggling with a few challenges: accepting her mother's new marriage, moving to a new house, adjusting to a stepfather and six-year-old twin stepsisters, and completing a genealogy project. When Macy's mother arranges for her to help elderly neighbor Iris pack up her belongings before moving to an assisted living facility, Macy is annoyed, then intrigued. While Macy sorts and packs boxes of books, Iris writes notes to answer Macy's questions (Iris doesn't know sign language) and bakes cookies to lift Macy's spirits. Discovering interesting facts about Iris (for instance, her name translates to "Goddess of the Rainbow") and her life story helps Macy realize that everyone makes mistakes, misjudges others, gets angry, feels alone at times, and ultimately changes "in ways you never imagined." The genealogy project she dreads ultimately evolves into the story of the people who have impacted Macy's life. The novel-in-verse structure is clever, engaging, and accessible. Macy's deafness is skillfully woven into the story, adding depth and complexity to her characterization and relationships with others. Her first-person narrative appears in regular type, sign language is spaced in bold type, and written communication is in italics. With candor and angst, Macy shares her sorrow over an argument with her best friend, her desire to stop her mother from getting married, her determination not to like her stepfather, and her affection for aging Iris. VERDICT Macy's coming-of-age anxieties, observations, and insights will resonate with middle grade readers. A strong purchase for public and school libraries.--Gerry Larson, formerly at Durham School of the Arts, NC