Sometimes it just seems as though life is full of really hard and scary things to do. For Gabe King, who is white, going into the fifth grade is one of those hard and scary things, and he does NOT intend to do it. But his friend, Frita Wilson, who is African-American, is one of those people who can look life right in the eye and face up to just about any challenge. Where Gabe fears, Frita thrives. So this summer she has decided to help Gabe build his courage muscle. This is an amazing story of two children who are confronting fear while surrounded by an adult world of racism and cowardice.
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It's the summer of 1976 and Gabe is afraid of a whole list of things. His friend, Frita, had him list all of his fears and now she has a plan to spend the summer helping him overcome them one by one. Gabe is white and Frita is African American. They are both headed into the fifth grade. Frita is looking ahead to being a fifth grader but Gabe is dreading it because it means he'll be back in a school with the kids who have bullied him forever and he doesn't know how to make them leave him alone. Frita has enough gumption for both of them until she comes up against something that maybe she can't overcome. Now, it's Gabe's turn to stand up and face danger and injustice as he turns to face the KKK.
160 pages Ages 9-13
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
