Fawn Creek, Louisiana, where every day is just like the day before, day after day, week after week and year after year. It is the same at the Fawn Creek School where each class has been together since kindergarten and each class has its cliques, geeks, jocks, “god squad”, royalty (their parents are prominent in the community), and outsiders. Erin Entrada Kelly sets her story in the seventh grade class and uses its two outsiders Greyson and Dorothy as the narrators of what life is like in a small, rural town. That is until the day Orchid joins the class!

Orchid is NOTHING like anyone in Fawn Creek in her looks, her style, and her outlook on the world. She is a breath of fresh air to some and a threat to others. With her willingness to accept her fellow students for who and what they are, she slowly shows them possibilities they had never thought of and they respond to her. But there are secrets in this class, including the one Orchid has, and her presence brings these secrets to the surface forcing all of the kids to face them and decide who they are – their true selves. Though the stereotypes may seem trite they are still found in schools today and Orchid’s story may act as a mirror for the reader. Themes of authenticity, friendship, and belonging will challenge the reader to think about staying true to who they are.

Reviewed by Kathy George, retired children’s librarian