Description

"When Emma discovers the first spot, 'like a tiny bright moon' on her left foot, she's at the funeral of her grandmother, who had been her best friend as well. The diagnosis is vitiligo, a skin condition triggered by stress. Creating a large multigenerational cast, Standish knits an absorbing story of loss, identity, and human connections. A rewarding, realistic novel, illuminated by magical elements." —Booklist (starred review)

Wonder meets Some Kind of Happiness in this powerful tween novel
from Ali Standish, author of the Carnegie Medal nominee The Ethan I
Was Before and August Isle.

While her
grandmother was alive, Emma’s world was filled with enchantment. But now
Gram is gone, and suddenly strange spots are appearing on Emma’s skin. Soon,
she’s diagnosed with vitiligo—a condition that makes patches of her skin lose
their color—and the magic in her world is suddenly replaced with school bullies
and doctor appointments.

But when Emma writes
one last story in the journal she shared with Gram, something strange happens.
Someone writes back to her, just like Gram used to. Who’s writing to Emma? And
just what is her story going to be, now that everything is so different?
Award-winning
author Ali Standish explores the ways life transforms us, and how we learn to
let go of what we must while still holding fast to who we are.
"Seamlessly blending childhood wonder with the slow lessons of maturity, this tale succeeds in celebrating curiosity, thoughtfulness, and collaboration, centering on relatable characters who welcome readers into their world." —Publishers Weekly