Something to Say

Despite herself, Jenae starts getting used to having him around.

But when the two are paired up for a class debate about the proposed name change for their school, Jenae knows this new friendship has an expiration date.

From the author of A Good Kind of Trouble, a Walter Dean Myers Honor Book, comes another unforgettable story about finding

your voice—and finding your people. Perfect for fans of Sharon Draper, Meg

Medina, and Jason Reynolds.

Eleven-year-old Jenae doesn’t have any friends—and she’s

just fine with that. She’s so good at being invisible in school, it’s almost

like she has a superpower, like her idol, Astrid Dane. At home, Jenae has

plenty of company, like her no-nonsense mama; her older brother, Malcolm, who

is home from college after a basketball injury; and her beloved grandpa, Gee.

Then a new student shows up at school—a boy named Aubrey

with fiery red hair and a smile that won’t quit. Jenae can’t figure out why he

keeps popping up everywhere she goes. The more she tries to push him away, the

more he seems determined to be her friend. Despite herself, Jenae starts

getting used to having him around.

But when the two are paired up for a class debate about the

proposed name change for their school, Jenae knows this new friendship has an

expiration date. Aubrey is desperate to win and earn a coveted spot on the

debate team.

There’s just one problem: Jenae would do almost anything to avoid

speaking up in front of an audience—including risking the first real friendship

she’s ever had.