Just Right Jillian
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
In this heartfelt middle grade novel from debut author Nicole D. Collier, fifth grader Jillian must learn to speak and break free of her shell to enter her school's academic competition and keep her promise to her grandmother.
Fifth grader Jillian will do just about anything to blend in, including staying quiet even when she has the right answer. After she loses a classroom competition because she won't speak up, she sets her mind on winning her school's biggest competition.
But breaking out of her shell is easier said than done, and Jillian has only a month to keep her promise to her grandmother and prove to herself that she can speak up and show everyone her true self.
A warm and relatable middle grade debut novel about family, friendship, and finding the confidence to break free from the crowd and be who you truly are.
A CCBC Best of the YearA Bank Street College Best Book of the Year
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
At Jemison Elementary, Black fifth grader Jillian is creative but shy, and has a hard time speaking up, especially since classmate Rashida, also Black, sets the standard for the rest of the class, down to how individuals dress and wear their hair. When Jillian finishes her problem first during a math game but opts to not answer in a timely fashion, she feels dejected, and tries to find the courage to conquer her social anxiety. "Being shy is one thing. Hiding is something else," her late grandmother used to tell her, and—determined to live her life by her beloved Grammy's advice—Jillian dons bright clothes and does her best to stand out. Her buoyed confidence secures Jillian a spot in the school Mind Benders competition, and just like the chicks incubating in her class, Jillian learns to break out of her own shell in a healthy, positive way. Debut author Collier offers an expressively told, inspirational novel that considers grief, chronic illness of a family member, and anxiety while showcasing the power of practicing love, empathy, and self-determination. Ages 8–12.
