Lightning couldn’t strike twice, could it? After a terrible year, Madalyn needs clear skies desperately. Moving in with her great-uncle, Papa Lobo, and switching to a new school is just the first step. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, though. Madalyn discovers she’s the only Black girl in her class, and while most of her classmates are friendly, assumptions lead to some serious storms. Don’t miss this relatable story from award-winning author Tanita S. Davis about about dealing with microaggressions, being a good friend and neighbor, and weathering life’s tough conversations. I know, a lot of times the media wants to show how hard high school is, and I think that is because that is where you actually move from being a teenager to a young adult. And that’s fair. But still, that’s not giving enough credit to those three years that are the bridge between elementary and high school. Middle school can be tricky because everything changes here. You go from being the big fish in the pond, to the smallest one in the lake. And, on top of that, there are other fish from other ponds swimming around that you may have never encountered in your elementary years. People start testing out who they really are and will go through various changes in their personality. This may lead to changes in some friendships and developing new ones. You may be introduced to a different type of person you had never met before. Or you can find out that you’re braver than you thought you were. Either way, these books are good guides to read for how to navigate the tricky waters that middle school can be, especially nowadays.