
Reach for this book when your teenager is beginning to question the status quo or is facing the social fallout of standing up for a cause. It is an essential read for the teen who feels caught between their desire to belong and their growing sense of social justice. The story follows best friends Eleanor and Lottie, two competitive cheerleaders who take a knee during the national anthem, a choice that sends shockwaves through their school and tests the foundations of their friendship. It masterfully explores themes of racial inequality, white privilege, and the personal cost of activism. This is a realistic, secular contemporary novel suitable for ages 12 and up. Parents will appreciate how it moves beyond slogans to show the messy, complicated reality of being a young ally or activist in a divided community.
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Sign in to write a reviewFrequent references to vaping and some instances of marijuana and alcohol use by teenagers.
Occasional use of realistic teen profanity.
Characters struggle with the ethics of following school rules versus following their conscience.
The book deals directly and realistically with systemic racism, white privilege, and substance use (vaping and weed). The approach is secular and contemporary. The resolution is realistic rather than neatly tied up: it acknowledges that while progress is made, the social and personal scars of activism remain.
A high schooler who is socially conscious but feels the weight of peer pressure. Specifically, it is for the student-athlete who is realizing that their platform comes with responsibility and that 'staying out of it' is no longer an option.
Parents should be aware of scenes involving underage drinking and drug use (marijuana/vaping). It is best to read this alongside the teen or discuss the differing reactions Lottie and Eleanor receive from authority figures to help contextualize the concept of privilege. A parent might see their child being excluded from a friend group or social media circle after expressing a 'controversial' opinion, or witness their child struggling to explain why they want to participate in a school protest.
Younger teens (12-14) may focus on the drama of the friendship rift and the 'cool factor' of the cheer setting. Older teens (15-18) will better grasp the nuances of the dual-narrative and the systemic nature of the conflict.
Unlike many books on activism, this focuses heavily on the 'aftermath' within a friendship across racial lines. It doesn't shy away from the fact that the white protagonist can 'opt out' of the struggle in a way the Black protagonist cannot.
Lottie (Black) and Eleanor (white) are seniors on their high school's elite cheerleading squad. When the team decides to take a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, the fallout is immediate and polarizing. The girls face suspension, community backlash, and personal threats. The story is told through dual perspectives, highlighting how their different racial identities shape their experiences of the same controversy.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.