I Am Kavi

Reach for this book when your child is struggling with the pressure to fit in or is starting to tell small lies to seem cooler than they feel. Set in 1998 Sri Lanka, this novel in verse follows Kavi, a girl from a poor village who wins a scholarship to an elite school in the city. To keep up with her wealthy new friends, she creates a false version of her life, only to find that the weight of the secret is heavier than her actual circumstances. It is a deeply resonant story for any middle schooler navigating social hierarchies, identity, and the fear of being seen as less than. Parents will appreciate how it handles the intersection of class and character with nuance and hope.