SYNOPSIS

Bag loves reading despite her dyslexia, has a low self-esteem, and only one friend.

Minerva, her older sister, is head of the cheerleading team, popular and confident.

Mom single-parents, runs a small business and rehearses for a local theatre production, while dad is battling addiction and visits rarely.

Through sleuth and observation, Bag discovers that Minerva is selling Math homework solutions to younger students.

In the process, Bag reluctantly joins the cheerleading team, avoids her only friend, and has many fights with Minerva.

Bag convinces Minerva to stop the homework business, and the two sisters find strength in each other to accept their parents’ divorce.

PERFECT AGE 12 – 14

We love

• Bag is deeply introspective and empathetic; she is endlessly forgiving of her sister’s rude behavior.
• Lovely, human adult characters with flaws and challenges, and also with lots of redeeming qualities.
• Mrs. Yoh is too good to be true! Here’s hoping every school has at least one teacher like her!

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• Drug addiction, drugs found at home, drug recovery – very peripherally related to the plot

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• Why might Minerva be upset with Bag’s joining the cheerleading team? How else might she have handled her anger toward her?
• Why is it important that Bag has dyslexia and why is she embarrassed to tell anyone, even her dad and her best friend?
• How could have Ridgley figured out what was going on with Bag without her telling him anything?
• Why does Bag want to be on the cheerleading team, in the end?