About this item
Dara's lived a sheltered life with her single mom, Mellie. Now, at eighteen, she's dreaming of more. When Dara digs up her never-before-seen birth certificate, her world implodes. Why are two strangers listed as her parents? Dara confronts her mother, and is stunned by what she learns: Mellie is transgender. The unfamiliar name listed under "father"? That's Mellie. She transitioned when Dara was a baby, after Dara's birth mother died. She changed her name, started over. But Dara still has more questions than answers. Reeling, she sets off on an impromptu road trip with her best guy friend, Sam, in tow. She is determined to find the extended family she's never even met. What she does discover -- and what her mother reveals, piece by piece, over emails -- will challenge and change Dara more than she can imagine.This is a gorgeous, timely, and essential novel about the importance of being our true selves. The back matter includes an author's note and resources for readers.
About the Author
Jessica Verdi lives in New York with her family. A graduate of The New School's MFA in Writing for Children program, she is the author of several books for children and teens, including FOLLOW YOUR ARROW, I'M NOT A GIRL, AND SHE WAS, WHAT YOU LEFT BEHIND, THE SUMMER I WASN'T ME, and MY LIFE AFTER NOW. She loves seltzer, hot sauce, TV, vegetarian soup, flip-flops, and all animals. Visit her at www.jessicaverdi.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @jessverdi.
