Taking things in stride is not easy for Kizzy Ann, but with her border
collie, Shag, stalwart at her side, she sets out to live a life as sweet
as syrup on cornbread.
In 1963, as Kizzy Ann prepares for her first year at an integrated
school, she worries about the color of her skin, the scar running from
the corner of her right eye to the tip of her smile, and whether anyone
at the white school will like her. She writes letters to her new teacher
in a clear, insistent voice, stating her troubles and asking questions
with startling honesty. The new teacher is supportive, but not everyone
feels the same, so there is a lot to write about. Her brother, James, is
having a far less positive school experience than she is, and the
annoying white neighbor boy won't leave her alone. But Shag, her border
collie, is her refuge. Even so, opportunity clashes with obstacle. Kizzy
Ann knows she and Shag could compete well in the dog trials, but will
she be able to enter? From Jeri Watts comes an inspiring middle-grade
novel about opening your mind to the troubles and scars we all must bear
-- and facing life with hope and trust.