Books like 'Three Keys'
Readers who enjoyed Three Keys by Kelly Yang also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical historical-fiction realistic family social-commentary friendship children poc-mc bullying latinx-mc
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The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsClover's mom says it isn't safe to cross the fence that segregates their African-American side of town from the white side where Anna lives. But the two girls strike up a friendship, and get around the grown-ups' rules by sitting on top of the fence together. With the addition of a brand-new author's note, this special edition celebrates the tenth anniversary of this classic book... -
![The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco]()
The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBook Description Publication Date: 2011 When young Trisha finds out her class at the new school is known as "The Junkyard," she is devastated. She moved from her old town so she wouldn't be in a special class anymore! But then she meets her teacher, the quirky and invincible Mrs. Peterson, and her classmates, an oddly brilliant group of students each with his or her own unique talent...Categorized as:
bullying children friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary book -
![Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson]()
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI couldn't play on the same playground as the white kids.I couldn't go to their schools.I couldn't drink from their water fountains.There were so many things I couldn't do. In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama, thousands of African American children volunteered to march for their civil rights after hearing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak...Categorized as:
historical-fiction social-commentary children poc-mc family realistic friendship children-books -
![Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca]()
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAn #ownvoices novel in verse about an Indian American girl whose life is turned upside down when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia.Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American student, and home, with her family’s traditions and holidays...Categorized as:
historical-fiction realistic family friendship poc-mc children coming-of-age middle-grade -
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![Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall]()
Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTwo-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall invites readers to peek through windows that shine like real glass on this lavish book’s cover, and explore the dollhouse-like world of a beloved farmhouse where twelve children were born and raised.Over a hill, at the end of a road, by a glittering stream that twists and turns stands a farmhouse...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction realistic children children-books fiction historical multigenerational -
![Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles]()
Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTwo boys—one black, one white—are best friends in the segregated 1960s South in this picture book about friends sticking together through thick and thin.John Henry swims better than anyone I know. He crawls like a catfish, blows bubbles like a swamp monster, but he doesn’t swim in the town pool with me. He’s not allowed. Joe and John Henry are a lot alike...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary -
![Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco]()
Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAfter being initiated into a neighbor's family by a solemn backyard ceremony, a young Russian American girl and her African American brothers' determine to buy their gramma Eula a beautiful Easter hat. But their good intentions are misunderstood, until they discover just the right way to pay for the hat that Eula's had her eye on. A loving family story woven from the author's childhood... -
![The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco]()
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThis 25th anniversary edition of a beloved and bestselling classic about family and tradition includes fifteen pages of bonus material.“We will make a quilt to help us always remember home,” Anna’s mother said. “It will be like having the family in backhome Russia dance around us at night.” And so it was... -
![Room to Dream by Kelly Yang]()
Room to Dream by Kelly Yang
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMia Tang is going for her dreams!After years of hard work, Mia Tang finally gets to go on vacation with her family -- to China! A total dream come true! Mia can't wait to see all her cousins and grandparents again, especially her cousin Shen. As she roams around Beijing, witnessing some of the big changes China's going through, Mia thinks about the changes in her own life, like . . .1... -
![Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton]()
Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn 1969 twelve-year-old Mimi and her family move to an all-white town in Vermont, where Mimi's mixed-race background and interest in "boyish" topics like astronomy make her feel like an outsider...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic -
![The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi]()
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe new kid in school needs a new name! Or does she?Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic -
![Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman]()
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsAn international bestseller: Grace learns that she can be anything she wants...Categorized as:
children family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic action-adventure book -
![Key Player by Kelly Yang]()
Key Player by Kelly Yang
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMia Tang is going for the goal in the fourth Front Desk novel by New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang! The Women’s World Cup coming to Southern California, everyone is soccer-crazy -- especially Mia Tang! The U.S. is playing China in the finals, and Mia feels like her two identities are finally coming together. Less exciting, though? The fact that her P.E...Categorized as:
historical-fiction realistic friendship children poc-mc family social-commentary bullying -
![New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer]()
New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsElla Mae is used to wearing her cousin's hand-me-down shoes—but when her latest pair is already too tight, she's thrilled at the chance to get new shoes.But at the shoe store, Ella Mae and her mother have to wait until there are no white customers to serve first...Categorized as:
historical-fiction social-commentary realistic poc-mc friendship children family historical -
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![Eleven by Tom Rogers]()
Eleven by Tom Rogers
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAlex Douglas always wanted to be a hero. But nothing heroic ever happened to Alex. Nothing, that is, until his eleventh birthday. When Alex rescues a stray dog as a birthday gift to himself, he doesn't think his life can get much better. Radar, his new dog, pretty much feels the same way. But this day has bigger things in store for both of them. This is a story about bullies and heroes...Categorized as:
bullying children family friendship historical-fiction realistic action-adventure animals -
![Goin' Someplace Special by Jerry Pinkney, Patricia C. McKissack]()
Goin' Someplace Special by Jerry Pinkney, Patricia C. McKissack
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratings1950s Nashville, Tennessee is segregated, and black people are persecuted, but young Tricia Ann is determined to venture on her own across town to someplace special. A must read book about persecution of minorities, but also about hope and light...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary -
![A Daughter’s Return by Josephine Cox]()
A Daughter’s Return by Josephine Cox
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFlorence Stanville is a woman with a past. When she moves to Guisethorpe on the east coast of England, the townsfolk are intrigued by the glamorous and mysterious stranger. Florence doesn’t care about the gossips – she’s drawn to the peaceful seaside town by the pull of her childhood, when she lived for a brief but happy time with her beloved late mother... -
![The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine]()
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsEverything’s changing for twelve-year-old Marlee. Her brother’s gone off to college and her sister’s moved out of the room they’ve shared since Marlee was born. To Marlee, it feels like her whole world’s falling apart. On top of all that, she’s starting middle school and has to break in new teachers—teachers who don’t yet know Marlee doesn’t talk...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc politics -
![Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Gwen Strauss]()
Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Gwen Strauss
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRuth and the Green Book is the story of one black family's trip from Chicago to Alabama by car in the late 1940s. Along the way they encounter prejudice, but they also discover The Green Book, a real guide to accommodations which was published for decades to aid African-American travelers as they faced prejudice on the roads across the country...Categorized as:
children family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc politics realistic social-commentary -
![Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki]()
Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShorty and his family, along with thousands of Japanese Americans, are sent to an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Fighting the heat and dust of the desert, Shorty and his father decide to build a baseball diamond and form a league in order to boost the spirits of the internees. Shorty quickly learns that he is playing not only to win, but to gain dignity and self-respect as well...Categorized as:
bullying children family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary -
![Orphan Train Girl by Christina Baker Kline]()
Orphan Train Girl by Christina Baker Kline
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis young readers’ edition of Christina Baker Kline’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel Orphan Train follows a twelve-year-old foster girl who forms an unlikely bond with a ninety-one-year-old woman. Adapted and condensed for a young audience, Orphan Train Girl includes an author’s note and archival photos from the orphan train era... -
![Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome]()
Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA window into a child's experience of the Great Migration from the award-winning creators of Before She Was Harriet and Finding Langston . Climbing aboard the New York bound Silver Meteor train, Ruth Ellen embarks upon a journey toward a new life up North-- one she can't begin to imagine...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family children poc-mc realistic children-books historical fiction -
![Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay]()
Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing comes an emotionally charged, moving novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.Watsonville, 1930. Francisco Maghabol barely ekes out a living in the fields of California...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family realistic poc-mc social-commentary coming-of-age young-adult fiction -
![How to Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani]()
How to Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNew historical fiction from a Newbery Honor-winning author about how middle schooler Ariel Goldberg's life changes when her big sister elopes following the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision, and she's forced to grapple with both her family's prejudice and the antisemitism she experiences, as she defines her own beliefs...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family realistic friendship social-commentary children bullying coming-of-age -
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![Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, Sophie Blackall]()
Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, Sophie Blackall
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsRuby is unlike most little girls in old China. Instead of aspiring to get married, Ruby is determined to attend university when she grows up, just like the boys in her family...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family realistic poc-mc children social-commentary children-books fiction -
![Blood Sisters by Barbara Keating, Stephanie Keating]()
Blood Sisters by Barbara Keating, Stephanie Keating
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKenya 1957. During their childhood years in the Kenya Highlands three girls from vastly different backgrounds become blood sisters, promising that nothing will ever destroy the bond between them. But the legacy of the Mau Mau rebellion, and the tensions and upheavals of newly independent Kenya, tear their childhood dreams apart... -
![Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh]()
Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFor fans of Inside Out and Back Again and Amina’s Voice comes a breathtaking story of family, hope, and survival from Ellen Oh, cofounder of We Need Diverse Books. When Junie Kim is faced with middle school racism, she learns of her grandparents’ extraordinary strength and finds her voice... -
![Outbound Train by Renea Winchester]()
Outbound Train by Renea Winchester
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn 1976, memories from a night near the railroad tracks sixteen years earlier haunt Barbara Parker. She wrestles with past demons every night, then wakes to the train’s five-thirty whistle. Exhausted and dreading the day, she keeps her hands busy working in Bryson City’s textile plant, known as the “blue jean plant,” all the while worrying about her teenage daughter, Carole Anne... -
![Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson]()
Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLindy and her doll Sally are best friends - wherever Lindy goes, Sally stays right by her side. They eat together, sleep together, and even pick cotton together. So, on the night Lindy and her mama run away in search of freedom, Sally goes too. This young girl's rag doll vividly narrates her enslaved family's courageous escape through the Underground Railroad...Categorized as:
children family historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary action-adventure black-mc -
![In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo]()
In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA novel in verse about a young Taiwanese immigrant to America who is confronted by the stark difference between dreams and reality.Anna can’t wait to move to the beautiful country—the Chinese name for America. Although she’s only ever known life in Taiwan, she can’t help but brag about the move to her family and friends.But the beautiful country isn’t anything like Anna pictured...Categorized as:
historical-fiction realistic coming-of-age children bullying family poc-mc social-commentary -
![Like Vanessa by Tami Charles]()
Like Vanessa by Tami Charles
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn this semi-autobiographical debut novel set in 1983, Vanessa Martin's real-life reality of living with family in public housing in Newark, New Jersey is a far cry from the glamorous Miss America stage. She struggles with an incarcerated mother she barely remembers, a grandfather dealing with addiction and her own battle with self-confidence...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic -
![A Seed in the Sun by Aida Salazar]()
A Seed in the Sun by Aida Salazar
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings**Four starred reviews!**A farm-working girl with big dreams meets activist Dolores Huerta and joins the 1965 protest for workers’ rights in this tender-hearted novel in verse, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia and Pam Muñoz Ryan.Lula Viramontes aches to one day become someone whom no one can a daring ringleader in a Mexican traveling circus...Categorized as:
historical-fiction social-commentary family latinx-mc poc-mc children realistic coming-of-age -
![Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris]()
Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea by Meena Harris
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOne day, Kamala and Maya had an idea. A big idea: they would turn their empty apartment courtyard into a playground!This is the uplifting tale of how the author’s aunt and mother first learned to persevere in the face of disappointment and turned a dream into reality. This is a story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood... -
![Encounter by Jane Yolen]()
Encounter by Jane Yolen
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen Christopher Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador in 1492, what he discovered were the Taino Indians. Told from a young Taino boy’s point of view, this is a story of how the boy tried to warn his people against welcoming the strangers, who seemed more interested in golden ornaments than friendship...Categorized as:
historical-fiction social-commentary poc-mc children realistic family children-books historical -
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![The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine]()
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe last thing Harry "Dit" Sims expects when Emma Walker comes to town is to become friends. Proper -talking, brainy Emma doesn't play baseball or fish too well, but she sure makes Dit think, especially about the differences between black and white. But soon Dit is thinking about a whole lot more when the town barber, who is black, is put on trial for a terrible crime...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic -
![Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley]()
Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe untold story of Thomas Jefferson's slave childrenBeverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston are Thomas Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, and while they do get special treatment - better work, better shoes, even violin lessons - they are still slaves, and are never to mention who their father is...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary -
![That Is My Dream! by Langston Hughes]()
That Is My Dream! by Langston Hughes
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Dream Variation," one of Langston Hughes's poems about the dream of a world free of discrimination and racial prejudice is now a picture book.To fling my arms wideIn some place of the sun, To whirl and to danceTill the white day is done.... Follow one African-American boy through the course of his day as the harsh reality of segregation and racial prejudice comes into vivid focus...Categorized as:
social-commentary historical-fiction children poc-mc family friendship children-books fiction -
![Laura's Luck by Marilyn Sachs]()
Laura's Luck by Marilyn Sachs
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLaura knows she won't be happy at camp...but could she be wrong? In the second of three books about a poor family living in the Bronx in the 1940s, Laura, the older sister, has to cope with the pleasures and pains of going off to camp...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction realistic book children-books -
![White Water by Michael S. Bandy, Eric Stein]()
White Water by Michael S. Bandy, Eric Stein
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFor a young boy growing up in the segregated south, a town drinking fountain becomes the source of an epiphany.It’s a scorching hot day, and going into town with Grandma is one of Michael’s favorite things. When the bus pulls up, they climb in and pay their fare, get out, walk to the back door, and climb in again...Categorized as:
historical-fiction social-commentary realistic poc-mc children justice bullying children-books -
![How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman, Allen Say]()
How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman, Allen Say
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn American sailor courts a young Japanese woman and each tries, in secret, to learn the other's way of eating... -
![Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane W. Evans]()
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane W. Evans
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger's home. Where are they heading? They are heading for Freedom by way of the Underground Railroad."A stellar introduction to the Underground Railroad, narrated by a group of slaves...Categorized as:
historical-fiction realistic social-commentary poc-mc children family children-books historical -
![Revolution by Deborah Wiles]()
Revolution by Deborah Wiles
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt's 1964, and Sunny's town is being invaded. Or at least that's what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They're calling it Freedom Summer. Meanwhile, Sunny can't help but feel like her house is being invaded, too...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc politics -
![The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey]()
The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe author of When Cats Dream, The Moonglow Roll-O-Rama and 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving returns in a tale inspired by his paperboy. When the whole neighborhood is still asleep, the paperboy is in the garage, rolling papers and filling his red bag to the top. With his faithful dog at his side, the paperboy sets off in a mood of contentedness and confidence. Full color...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction poc-mc realistic animals -
![All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor]()
All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe saga of the Logan family--made famous in the Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry--concludes.In her tenth book, Mildred Taylor completes her saga about the Logan family of Mississippi, which is also the story of the civil rights movement in America of the 20th century...Categorized as:
historical-fiction family poc-mc social-commentary friendship children realistic bullying -
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![How Many Days to America? Book & Cassette: A Thanksgiving Story by Eve Bunting, Beth Peck]()
How Many Days to America? Book & Cassette: A Thanksgiving Story by Eve Bunting, Beth Peck
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter the police come, a family is forced to flee their Caribbean island and set sail for America in a small fishing boat...Categorized as:
children family historical-fiction poc-mc realistic social-commentary action-adventure book -
![Naked by Kevin Brooks]()
Naked by Kevin Brooks
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLondon, 1976: a summer of chaos, punk, love . . . and the boy they called Billy the Kid. It was the summer of so many things. Heat and violence, love and hate, heaven and hell. It was the time I met William Bonney - the boy from Belfast known as Billy the Kid. I've kept William's secrets for a long time, but now things have changed and I have to tell the truth... -
![Nicki by Ann Howard Creel]()
Nicki by Ann Howard Creel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNicki Fleming is a 10-year-old girl who is a natural with animals. She lives on a working Colorado ranch with her parents and younger brother. She is optimistic, generous, and compassionate, and she loves skiing almost as much as she loves animals.Nicki has a hard time saying "no" to people. Whenever anyone asks for her help, she's ready to lend a hand...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family historical-fiction realistic animals book children-books -
![My Year in the Middle by Lila Quintero Weaver]()
My Year in the Middle by Lila Quintero Weaver
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn a racially polarized classroom in 1970 Alabama, Lu's talent for running track makes her a new best friend -- and tests her mettle as she navigates the school's social cliques.Miss Garrett's classroom is like every other at our school. White kids sit on one side and black kids on the other. I'm one of the few middle-rowers who split the difference...Categorized as:
historical-fiction realistic friendship children latinx-mc social-commentary poc-mc family -
![Jazz On A Saturday Night by Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon]()
Jazz On A Saturday Night by Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCelebrated illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon have won the Caldecott Medal twice, and now they present stunning illustrations of an evening of jazz music, complete with a special CD.If you have ever been lucky enough to hear great jazz, then you will understand the pure magic of this book... -
![Nobody's Family Is Going To Change by Louise Fitzhugh]()
Nobody's Family Is Going To Change by Louise Fitzhugh
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat can you do if your parents simply refuse to listen to, let alone accept, your hopes and aspirations? Fat, intelligent Emma and her talented brother, Willie, brave parental disapproval to try to achieve their dreams and maintain their integrity. Emma is determined to become a lawyer like her father, while Willie thinks of nothing but dancing...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family historical-fiction poc-mc black-mc book children-books
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