Cayenne is used to living in a van with her parents and her twin siblings. Their life involves constant moving around. She's never really known close friends, a school, or life in a stable environment.
When her father's friend offers him a job in a sawmill, they decide to rent a house for the first time. That means Cayenne will be attending seventh grade at a school and experiencing classes with official teachers, homework/projects, lunch in a cafeteria, and lots of new people her age.
Fitting in isn't as easy as Cayenne imagines it will be. She does make a new friend, but she also encounters bullies and teachers with expectations far beyond what she anticipated. To complicate matters, the sawmill may be closing, and her father loses his job. Depression kicks in and he shuts himself off from everything. Cayenne's mother tries to make up for the lost income, but she never really wanted to settle here in the first place.
Jessica Vitalis, author of COYOTE QUEEN, introduces readers to another unique character in Cayenne. She is a courageous, inspiring character; determined to make things work in her new life. Written in verse, this is a great addition to any middle grade collection.
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