By Piranha T.
 
For Rahul Kapoor, the beginning of seventh grade isn’t looking good. Yes, it will mean he’ll be able to see his best friend Chelsea even more regularly than he has over the summer. But he’ll also be at the mercy of bullies like Brent, who make fun of him for being Indian American. When he talks to his grandfather, Bhai, a week into the school year, he gives Rahul a piece of advice: find something, and become the best at it. Then nobody will be able to stop him.

No matter how hard Rahul tries, though, none of the activities he tries are quite right—until one of his teachers convinces him to join the Mathletes. Although he’s always dismissed its members as nerds, he begins to realize that math really can be fun. But what if he still can’t become ‘the best at it’? And even if it can, will it really help him figure out who he is?

The Best at It is an awesome, deeply relatable realistic fiction novel. Rahul is an incredibly sympathetic and real protagonist—his journey to accept all the parts of who he is really resonated with me, and I think it would with most middle schoolers, too. I highly recommend The Best at It to readers ages ten and up. 

By SK

Omar has lived in a Dadaab, a Somalian refugee camp, for most of his life, and he can hardly remember a time before he lived in the A3 block, in the tent he shares with his little brother Hassan across the road from their guardian, Fatuma, making meals out of the scant rations and waiting for the day when he, Hassan and Fatuma will be selected to leave for America, where everyone is rich. Where he won’t have to sleep on the ground anymore. Where he can get medicine for Hassan, who barely speaks and used to get terrifying seizures. Where his life can really start. 

When you live in a refugee camp, you spend a lot of time waiting. But that doesn’t mean Omar isn’t busy–he gathers water, plays soccer with his friends, tells stories to Hassan, and studies with his friends Jeri, Maryam, and Nimo. And he’s never stopped looking for his mother, who he hasn’t seen since fighting broke out in his village when he was a little boy. 

As he grows up, Omar experiences danger, disappointment, and the fear that he’ll never leave Dadaab. Yet he also learns that in a world where he sometimes feels powerless, the loyalty and love that connect him with Hassan and Fatuma, his friends, and his community have a power of their own. 

I don’t usually read graphic novels, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, a story of growing up that is both universal and powerfully unique. The bright, evocative, emotional artwork is gorgeous, and the writing is crisp and concise, creating a vibrant, compelling, sometimes heartbreaking story about childhood in a refugee camp, based on coauthor Mohamed’s own life. (In fact, I realized partway through reading it that I was experiencing the same feeling of total immersion in a story, oblivious to anything around me, that I usually only get when reading standout books in prose!) The characters are deftly woven and immensely believable, and it’s a fast, satisfying, and deeply important read. At once a powerful personal story and an ode to the resilience and courage of the millions of people living in refugee camps today, I would highly recommend When the Stars Are Scattered to readers ages nine and up, especially for books groups and discussions. 

​By Piranha T. 

It's the beginning of another school year, and absolutely nothing is going right for sixth grader Merci Suárez. At Seaward Pines Academy, the expensive private school she and her older brother, Roli, attend on scholarship, Merci feels constantly out of place, whether it's because of the constant bullying of Edna Santos, whose life's mission seems to be to lead her possy of friends to make Merci miserable, or something as small as the massive packages of school pictures all the other families have ordered, while hers opts for the least expensive one. Plus, this year, Merci's been chosen as a Sunshine Buddy--an assigned friend to help new students adjust to Seaward Pines. It's the last thing Merci wants to do, particularly when she definitely doesn't fit in at Seaward Pines herself. 

And everything at home isn't much better. Merci lives with her extended family in Las Casitas, which is usually wonderful. But now she can't try out for the soccer team because she has to watch her twin cousins after school. And her grandfather, Lolo, is starting to act strangely--forgetting their names and getting into strange arguments with his family. 

Merci's life is turning upside-down. But maybe all the changes will help her change for the better, too. 

Merci Suárez Changes Gears is a relatable, fast-paced middle-grade novel. The characters and situations in this book are particularly realistic to me, and felt modern and universally identifiable for middle schoolers. I particularly enjoyed reading about Merci's family--they all interact and bounce off one another naturally, and both their characters and their relationships felt incredibly realistic. I recommend Merci Suárez Changes Gears to readers ages ten and up who enjoy realistic fiction novels. 

By Piranha T.
 
Ellie isn’t looking forward to starting her new school. It’s not because she begrudges the move; her grandfather has Alzheimer’s, and he needs more help than just Ellie’s grandma. And she’s always liked staying in her grandparents’ trailer, even with the squirrels running across the roof every morning.

No, it’s because she knows the kids at her new school won’t see Ellie for who she is. They won’t see a feisty, ambitious kid who knows that someday, she’ll be a famous cook like the ones she admires on TV. They just see the wheelchair. And then they look away.

But then Ellie starts to make friends, for the first time ever. And she discovers the town’s annual pie competition—a perfect chance to prove her baking skills. Maybe this town isn’t so bad after all. And maybe—just maybe—they’ll be able to stay.

​Roll with It is a fun book which talks about disabilities, but only as one facet of this quirky story with a fabulous set of characters. I love Ellie’s determination and dreams, and she, like the supporting characters, is full of quirks which makes her feel like someone I could know—and who I’d definitely want to become friends with. I highly recommend Roll with It to readers ages nine and up.

By SK

When eleven-year-old Viji runs away from home with her twelve-year-old sister, Rukku, she hopes to find a better life in the city, and maybe even the chance to someday fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. But the city is nothing like she expected, filled with a flood of noise and trash and movement--and very few opportunities for two inexperienced girls who are suddenly on their own. And she has to be careful to keep Rukku away from anyone who might try to put her in a "mental institution," a possibility which she has always feared. The reality of surviving on the streets seems grim, to say the least.

But then the sisters meet Arul and Muthi, two boys who are also homeless, and are introduced to a new world--one of struggling to find food, and gathering trash to sell from Himalayas of garbage, yes, but also of sleeping on an old bridge above a glittering river at night, not being ordered around by anyone, and forming a bond which quickly becomes unbreakable. With every day she lives on the streets, Viji feels her dreams of being a teacher, and of ever finding a better life, drifting farther and farther from reach. But with Rukku, Arul, and Muthi by her side, life's obstacles seem more like adventures than problems, and she and Rukku are the happiest they've ever been--until everything they've worked so hard to build begins to come apart. 

The Bridge Home is rich with compassion, hope, and humanity. The irresistible characters aren't deeply complex, yet are filled with life and energy and motion; Viji is strong, determined, and fiercely loyal, and Rukku is incredibly lovable, kind, and far more talented than most people bother to find out. I was struck by how despite frequently facing dire circumstances, the protagonists still manage to have fun and be silly, ordinary kids. Their moments of triumph and true happiness make their heartbreaking ones even more wrenching (I cried quite a bit!), and the story gives a glimpse into the lives of millions of children whose stories aren't often told. In the author's note, Venkatraman notes that The Bridge Home is based on real stories she gathered from a variety of interviews and conversations, which I wasn't surprised to learn, given how deftly she brings the story to life. A piercing, beautiful story of survival, loss, friendship and sisterhood, I would highly recommend The Bridge Home to readers ages ten and up. 

By Super Kitty

Note: When testing links in our archives, we discovered we'd accidentally deleted this review's original post. Years later, it's remained one of our favorites, so we decided to (re)share it. Enjoy! 

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has made her fair share of mistakes. She has what she likes to call an imagination—and what her snooty classmates call a skill at lying. When three school bullies finally confront her with her stories, she’s determined to prove that she’s been telling the truth about some things, at least. So she accepts a dare. She lights a lamp. And she unleashes a legendary monster, who, if she cannot stop him, will tear Time itself apart. Which is definitely her record for Biggest Mistake Ever.

To keep the darkness she has loosed at bay, Aru must journey from her home to the Otherworld to the kingdom of Death itself, joining forces with a sarcastic pigeon (yes, a pigeon) and a skittish yet super-smart girl apparently woven into Aru’s destiny, searching for a way to destroy the ancient evil, and maybe even (gulp) save the world. Which might be way more than Aru and her new friends can manage. Because not only do stories turn out to be true— things Aru thought were true turn out to be stories.

Because Aru isn’t the only one with secrets…

This was one of those books which managed to be entertaining, surprising, and completely hilarious. Aru is an irresistible heroine, and her various adventures in a world where normal life and Hindu mythology overlap seamlessly make the book impossible to put down. The vivid settings and equally clever supporting cast combine to make this a highly enjoyable fantasy that I would recommend for ages 8+.

By Super Kitty

Bett Devlin: 12yo. Loves animals + being outside + adventures. Is a daredevil + proud of it. Lives in California with her dad near the ocean (which is AWESOME, by the way!!)

Avery Bloom: Twelve years old. Enjoys reading, writing, and learning medical facts. Has some "excessive worries" which really aren't that unreasonable and include drowning, getting a disease, and the fire hazard posed by paper lampshades which are too close to the light bulb. Lives in New York City with her papa. 

Both Bett and Avery are quite happy with their lives just the way they are. So when they find out their dads are dating, they're both horrified--both are just fine with staying the center of their dads' lives, thank you very much. But their dads have other (inexplicable) plans, and send them both to a camp in Michigan called CIGI ("Challenge Influence Guide Inspire") while they go on a trip to China to get to know each other better. (Yup, you read that right: CHINA.) They think it'll be a wonderful way for Bett and Avery to get to know each other and become friends--in fact, they might soon become family. 

In other words, things are getting desperate. 

Bett and Avery might seem like opposites, but they do have one very important thing in common: neither has ANY intention of becoming friends (and DEFINITELY not sisters). United by a shared determination to never see each other again, they plot ways to get their dads to break up and forget about each other. But things quickly get far more complicated than they were expecting, and they realize they'll need some very clever plots indeed to get everything to work out the way they want them to....

When I started the first few pages of To Night Owl From Dogfish, I was immediately hooked, but was expecting a light, fast read about two girls who are determined to hate each other, yet, over the course of one fateful summer, become best friends--a fun plotline, but not a particularly new one. However, that's only the very beginning--it's a delight to see the layers and twists unfold, so I haven't gone into more detail in my review, but suffice to say that every time a plotline began to feel like something I'd seen before, a twist (often a hilarious new take on an old cliché) would take the story in a new, unexpected direction, with surprises and mishaps until the very end. The authors manage to combine a handful of classic themes into a story that is both original and comforting, with two quirky, refreshing main characters (Bett and Avery sometimes remind me of Aru and Mini from Aru Shah and the End of Time) who feel like real twelve-year-olds--stubborn, passionate, flawed, caring, and (eventually) inseparable. Although Bett and Avery aren't biological sisters, I've categorized this book under the "Sisters" category on the blog, a decision which I firmly stand by (read it and you'll understand!)

The whole cast is deftly drawn and appealing, and it's a joy to watch as the characters overlap, argue, plot, and connect to form a quirky, sprawling family that none of them were expecting. The story is written through emails, and while I don't always enjoy epistolary stories, this one was cleverly done and highly engaging, and added an extra layer of uniqueness. Ultimately, To Night Owl From Dogfish is an ode to big, messy, wonderful families--biological and not--and I would highly recommend this fresh, winsome, and highly amusing tale to readers ages nine and up. 

 By Piranha T.

There are plenty of ways that Zenobia July is different from her fellow students when she starts Monarch Middle School. Her skills at tech, for example, developed over long days sitting at home when her father wouldn’t let her leave the house. The fact that she’s not living with her parents but with her two eccentric aunts. Or that although Zen was born a boy, in her new home in Maine, she’s been able to transition publicly to the girl she’s always been inside. Despite all the hardships she’s faced, though, Zen finds new challenges in middle school—girls who make fun of her, a boy who despises her for her skill at technology, and the constant fear that someone will learn she’s transgender. The only comforts lie in Arli, a self-proclaimed word geek, and the familiar riddles of Cyberlandium.

Then the school website is hacked, and it changes everything. Because although Zen knows she can find who did it, she’s also aware that success may not make her popular with her classmates. And as she delves deeper into the mystery, it makes her question the place she’s started to find for herself at Monarch Middle School.

It’s a multilayered puzzle which requires both cyber skills and determination. And Zenobia July may be the only one who can stop it before the hacker strikes again.

Zenobia July is an amazing book, one I’m so glad I’ve read. It’s the tale of a transgender girl figuring out who she is and navigating an unfamiliar world, but it’s also a cyber mystery with a strong friendship storyline. Lisa Bunker creates a many-layered, real story with an interesting, engaging plot. Her characters were well-drawn and unique, and every part of the story felt natural and smooth. To readers ages ten and up who like mysteries or books with diverse protagonists, I highly recommend Zenobia July.

By Super Kitty

​Ten-year-old Ailey Lane is determined to get the part of the Scarecrow in his school's production of The Wiz, and not only because his dance moves are just begging for the spotlight, and he loves coming up with impromptu raps. It's because he always messes things up, and the more people he tells about tryouts, the more he realizes that no one expects him to get it right this time, either.

Everything is shaping up perfectly, though--until it's Ailey's turn at tryouts and he freezes up. Bad. He might be a class clown, but it's totally different having all those eyes on him when he's not just goofing off, and it's like they hit an erase button in his mind. Maybe everyone was right, after all.

Ailey decides he'll never dance again, and when his family asks him how auditions went, he expects a grown-up pep talk about persistence and practice and so on. But Grandpa surprises him--that night, he tells Ailey that when he was younger, he loved tap dancing, and was so good that Bojangles himself tapped with him once and loaned him his tap shoes, saying to bring them back when Grandpa was ready to give performing a shot. But he never mustered the courage to do it, and the shoes, which Bojangles said have a smidgen of magic, are tucked away in a closet, a mark of the regret that Grandpa has carried throughout his life. He has always wondered how far he might have gotten if he had been brave enough to do what he loved. He tells Ailey that he doesn't want him to have regrets, too.

Later that night, Ailey can't stop thinking about Grandpa's story, and he finds the shoes and tries them on. And Bojangles was definitely right about the "smidgen of magic," because when Ailey opens his eyes, he's in Harlem. Harlem in 1939, to be exact.

Which happens to be when and where Grandpa lived and tapped when he was a boy. When and where his greatest regret began.

When Ailey finds a talented boy called Taps performing on the street, he knows that he must have been brought here to give him the encouragement he needs. But nothing seems to go right--Taps definitely isn't convinced that his future grandson has come from the future, Ailey has no idea how to persuade him to take up Bojangles' offer, and there's still the problem of how to get home.

But the two boys have more in common than being family. Taps can tap dance like he was born for it, and Ailey can come up with raps without even trying. On their own, neither quite has the nerve to get up on stage--but maybe together, they can push each other to change their stars.

Ailey and Taps' enthusiasm is infectious, and although I personally am not particularly interested in tap dance, I thoroughly enjoyed The Magic in Changing Your Stars! I liked the combination of time travel and family, and how Ailey meets many members of his family from a few generations back that he's heard stories about--and a few kids and teens he knows as adults from his own time. Every character is named after famous Black people from history, especially performers, and the book includes a list of all of the people mentioned along with a short blurb about their achievements, which was an excellent extra layer. The book itself also has lots of historical tidbits, and many readers might not be able to resist learning more about them! I would recommend The Magic in Changing Your Stars to readers ages eight and up looking for an amusing, engaging celebration of family, friendship, and the courage it takes to do your best. 

By Piranha T.

Back home in Kansas, everyone was used to the fact that Aven Green doesn’t have any arms. She was born like that, and even though it’s never stood in her way—her adoptive parents have always helped her figure things out on her own—she’s always been different in the eyes of other kids.

So when her parents take a job managing a decrepit cowboy-themed park in Arizona, Aven isn’t surprised when her armlessness is the first thing everyone sees in her. Still, she finds a friend in Connor, a boy who’s as isolated as she is, and together, they begin to uncover an unexpected mystery in Aven’s new home—one which seems suspiciously connected to herself.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is a funny, eye-opening, entertaining book. Author Dusti Bowling seamlessly tackles difficult themes of disabilities and exclusiveness while simultaneously crafting a hilarious story about friendship, mystery, and change. Aven is a funny and relatable main character who truly carried this book. Unlike many other thought-provoking novels, it didn’t feel like Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus was about Aven not having arms. Instead, this was simply one part of it, a section of Aven’s life which was a part of the story without taking it over, which was extremely well done. Overall, I would recommend Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus to readers ages nine and up, whether you’re looking for a thought-provoking read or simply a relatable realistic fiction book. 

By Piranha T.
 
Up until the day when twelve-year-old Maya sees the color bleed from the world, the weirdest things she’s ever heard of are the stories her dad tells her about his travels. She hasn’t believed his magic-filled tales of battling werehyenas, fleeing impundulu, and outwitting elokos for years, but she knows she saw the world turn grey, and her friends’ explanations of ghost invasions and poisoned food can’t explain it. Still…she must be making it up. Right?

But then she sees ferocious werehyenas on the nighttime streets of Chicago. And there’s a shadowy man twined with silk ribbons lurking in her dreams.

Just when Maya becomes sure she can’t be imagining this, she learns the truth. Her dad is a spirit-god, an orisha, and the guardian of the Veil, a barrier which separates Maya’s world from the Dark. But the Veil is tearing, courtesy of the powerful and malicious Lord of Shadows on the other side. And Maya’s dad is the only one who can repair it.

But when her dad is taken by the Lord of Shadows and the other orisha don’t dare to try to rescue him, Maya knows she’s the only one who can enter the Dark to get him back. Because not even the Lord of Shadows can keep this determined half-orisha from getting to her dad.

Maya and the Rising Dark is a well-plotted, fast-paced fantasy novel full of unique characters and multilayered magic. Maya feels like someone I could know, and her reactions to learning about a whole side to her world she never knew about feel realistic. Rena Barron weaves a complex universe of magical creatures and orishas over our everyday world, in a way which reminds me of Aru Shah and the End of Time. I’m looking forward to reading future books about Maya! I highly recommend Maya and the Rising Dark to fantasy fans ages nine and up, particularly those who like stories drawn from diverse mythologies. 

By Super Kitty

Seventh grader Castle Crenshaw, aka Ghost, can run. For him, sprinting isn't something he's trained for, it's just something he can do--something he's had to do. Because he's not one of those rich kids he sees practicing on the local track after school. And his earliest memory of sprinting as a gun went off isn't from a race. 

Ever since his dad chased Ghost and his mom from their apartment years ago, pointing a gun straight at them, something in Ghost changed. Not something obvious. More like a scream that's caught inside him, anger and fire that can spring to the surface at a moment's notice.

When he gets recruited for the Defenders, one of the best track teams in the city, the whole thing feels like some scene from a sports movie. Ghost can run, yeah, but that doesn't mean he wants to spend hours training with a bunch of kids he's never met--kids whose clothes and shoes and just about everything make it clear that they'll never be friends. But (somehow) his mom agrees to let him join, and before Ghost knows what's happened, Coach has promised he won't get into any trouble at school if he wants to stay on the team. 

Here's the thing: Ghost tries. He really does. But when kids like Brandon Simmons, the biggest bully in his class, start mouthing off at him, sometimes he just loses it. How's he supposed to be the bigger person--stay calm--and still stand up for himself, anyway? 

As Ghost attempts to stay cool at school and figure out the new track team, he starts to get to know the other newbies, who have more in common with him than he thinks.   

But as pressure rises from all sides, each mistake has bigger consequences, and he wonders how far he'll go to fit in. 

Maybe he needs to come to peace with his past before he can tackle his dreams for the future. 

I've heard a lot about the Track series, but I only read Ghost recently--I've never done track, and I thought it would be one of those books which is centered purely on a sport, which I don't usually enjoy. After reading several of Jason Reynolds' other books and loving them, though, I decided to give them a try, and (of course) I was completely blown away. Reynolds has that rare ability to truly capture the voice of a middle schooler, and reading each book in the Track series is like having a conversation with a friend--or seeing yourself. Track plays an important role in each book, but that's certainly not all they're about; school, friendships, and finding yourself are all major components as well, just to name a few. There's a perfect balance between depth and humor, and I love the way that the "newbies"--Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu--connect over the course of the series. An outstanding series, which I would highly recommend to readers ages ten and up--each book is about a different newbie, and they're each distinct and different, yet all are amazing.

By Piranha T.

Kek is a refugee from Sudan, fleeing his home after the deaths of much of his family. He is sent to his family in the United States, where he struggles to learn the language and understand the culture. His new school seems like a paradise of freedom to Kek, but he feels isolated until he meets Hannah, a girl who befriends him and helps him navigate the complexities of his new life. But even with Hannah’s friendship, he won’t forget the mystery of what happened to his mother—and the question of whether she’s alive at all.

Home of the Brave is the story of Kek’s struggle in a foreign new home, told in free verse. It is deeply relatable, sometimes funny, a book about change, prejudice, coming of age, and so much more. This is a book to be discussed in book groups, a simple story with a deepness which will remain in reader’s minds. I think Home of the Brave would appeal to fans of books like The Year of the Dog and Other Words for Home, centering around people from other cultures finding a way in a world which sees their identity as their home country, and not who they ​are. I would recommend Home of the Brave to readers ages ten and up. 

By Super Kitty

On her twelfth birthday, Nisha receives her first diary--a beautiful book where she feels she can record all of her thoughts and wonderings. She struggles to speak in front of anyone other than her family, especially her twin brother Amil, or Kazi, her family's beloved cook, who gave her the notebook. But when she writes, words flow onto the page, telling the story of the sudden changes which have begun in the world around her. 

India has been freed from British rule, but in the summer of 1947, things only seem to be getting more complicated. Before, it didn't seem to matter what religion people were, but suddenly there is talk of India becoming two countries--one for Muslims and one for Sikhs, Hindus, and all other Indians. Everyone is taking sides, from the country's leaders to the students at Nisha and Amil's schools. But the only side Nisha wants to be on is her family's--Amil, Kazi, Papa, and Dadi, her grandmother. 

Dadi and Papa are Hindu. Kazi is Muslim, and so was Nisha's mother, who died when she and Amil were born. So where in this new world does Nisha belong?

As tensions escalate and violence begins to break out in their neighborhood, Dadi, Papa, Nisha and Amil escape and begin the long journey away from what is now Pakistan, away from their Kazi and their bungalow and everything Nisha and Amil have ever known. They cross the desert to what is now the new India on foot, desperate for water and facing the growing tensions between refugees of all religions, escaping their old homes to places they have never seen. They find hardship and danger on their road, people filled with cruelty and some who have lost everything. But there is also unexpected kindness in those they encounter, and the hope for a better future.

Written in a series of letters to her mother, Nisha's journey is sometimes heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful, and although it's historical, it explores many issues which are still relevant today. I don't always prefer reading books written in a diary format--it can be difficult to immerse oneself in the story--but I loved the way that Veera Hiranandani weaves the story through Nisha's letters to a mother she never really met. The relationships within her family are believably imperfect, yet the relatively small cast of characters clearly truly care about one another, and the harsh journey they make together helps to bring them closer together. The story also explores a piece of history that I can't believe I didn't know more about--according to the Author's Note, the journey in The Night Diary "is the largest mass migration in history." Although the story itself is fictional, it is inspired by the journey made by the author's father when he was young, and her vivid details and descriptions bring Nisha's world to life. The Night Diary is written for a middle-grade audience, but older readers will enjoy it as well (though they may find the ending slightly too happy to be completely realistic), and they may be inspired to learn more about the historical events it describes. Overall, I would recommend The Night Diary to readers ages ten and up.  

By Super Kitty
​
"This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. No one heard anything."
                                ​- Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

You see, everyone who would have noticed was busy--they were walking home from school. They were arguing, skateboarding, telling stories, and making plans. They were cracking jokes and asking hard questions, exchanging secret handshakes and hanging out with friends. They were far too busy to notice something like a school bus falling from the sky. 

I don't always enjoy short stories (it can be so hard to lose yourself in them when they're only the length of a chapter!), but I loved Look Both Ways. Each of the ten stories are distinct and unique (in characters, plot, and writing style), but they overlap just the right amount, with each character firmly absorbed in their own story, yet touched or affected by those of others. The characters might be vastly different from each other in experience and situation, but they're all unforgettably relatable and real--I felt like I was reading about kids I could have classes with, or was reminded of my own experiences. The stories, one for each block that a character lives on, unfold with twists and realizations while maintaining a believable open-endedness which makes them even more powerful. I've had several of Jason Reynolds' books on my reading list for a while, and now I can't wait to read more of his books! I would highly recommend Look Both Ways to readers ages ten and up looking for a book with skillful writing, humor, loss, and hope, and a believable, diverse cast of middle schoolers searching for their place in the world.