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Book Review By Rachael
The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake

Maleeka Madison is a seventh grader and she attends McClenton Middle School. Maleeka has very dark black skin. She used to be proud of it, but when her father died, kids started picking on her. Her mother copes with the death by sews her outfits that are no where near “appealing” to the average teenager. Char, the most popular girl in the grade, makes a deal with Maleeka that if she does her home work, Char will stick up for her, bring her clothes to school and Maleeka can begin to hang out hang out with her. Miss Saunders is a new teacher arriving into the school she too gets made fun of because she has a big blotch on her face, which is a birthmark. She doesn't let the other opinions or cruel words of the students bring her down though. She consistently tries to show the students that there's more to life then just failing school to get by.

This new teacher acknowledges that Maleeka is a very intelligent girl and encourages doing extra literary exercises to improve her skills. Throughout the story Maleeka has an internal battle with her self about gaining self-confidence and to be more secure about herself. Can the memories of her father and the lessons of Miss Saunders go skin deep and help Maleeka shine for all that she Is? Not only does she try to impress everyone with her appearance but she also goes along with Char, and gets in trouble because she has no ability to say no and walk away. One day, Miss Saunders makes Char really mad, so Char makes her plan to get back at Miss Saunders, and it's going to be a good one she says. In the attempts to vandalize her classroom the room is accidentally set on fire.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 2000+ (Present Day)
Kids growing up/acting up? Yes
Ethnic/Regional/Religion
Is this an adult or child's book? - Age 11-14
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes
Age group of kid(s) in story: - grade school
Wild kid(s)? - committing crimes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Profession/status:
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb: Yes

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 2 ()
United States Yes
The US: - Deep South
City? Yes
City: - dirty, grimy (like New York)
Misc setting

Writing Style
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - descript of kissing
Amount of dialog - mostly dialog
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