A biracial girl of divorced parents must navigate two different homesâand the dangers outside themâin this âtimely but genuineâ novel (Publishers Weekly).
For eleven-year-old Isabella, splitting her time between her parentsâ homes feels like living two different lives. One week sheâs Izzy, living in a modest house with her mom. The next week sheâs Isabella, living with her dad in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. But Isabella is starting to realize that sheâs not just switching between houses, nicknames, and backpacks. Sheâs also switching between identities.
When her parents both get engaged at the same time, Isabella doesnât just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if youâre only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?
It seems like nothing can bring Isabellaâs family together againâuntil the worst thing happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.