Turning Point

Distance threatens to tear apart a friendship. That is, of course, if a secret doesnt ruin it first.

Told in dual perspectives, this provocative and timely stand-alone companion to Paula ChasesSo DoneandDough Boyswill resonate with fans of Jason Reynolds, Rebecca Stead, and Rene Watson.

Best friends Rasheeda and Monique are both good girls. For Sheeda, that means keeping her friends close and following her deeply religious, Bible-quoting aunts every rule. For Mo, that means not making waves in the prestigious and mostly White ballet intensive shes been accepted to. But what happens when Sheeda catches the eye of Mos older brother, and the invisible racial barriers to success as a ballerina turn out to be not so invisible?

Paula Chase continues to explore the lives of African American middle school characters from the Cove, a low-income housing project, in this stand-alone companion toSo DoneandDough Boys. Both universal and specific,Turning Pointis rich with thematic threads such as racism, body image, poverty, creativity, religion, Me Too, friendship, and family running through it. A rewarding and thought-provoking read for the older middle grade audience.