The True Definition of Neva Beane

About this book

From the author of Riding Chance comes the story of a girl whose dictionary is helping make sense of the world, her changing body, friendships, and a family that's struggling to stay strong amidst the turbulent backdrop of activism, across generations.

Being twelve isn't easy, especially when you're Neva Beane. Neva feels beautiful wearing her new bra, but she's confused by how others respond to the changes taking place in and out of her body. Her best friend, Jamila, is getting all the attention. Her brother, Clayton, is becoming an activist. And Mom and Dad are gone working-again. Grandad and Nana aren't much help, either, with their old ways and backward views.Neva struggles to find her place in a world that, like the political landscape that's always shifting around her in her West Philadelphia neighborhood, is uncertain, at times scary, but most always, filled with unanswered questions. Neva is left with what comforts her most-words and their meanings, which she chronicles herself. While the pages of her beloved dictionary reveal truths about what's happening around her, Neva must discover the best way to define herself. In this wholly original story by the author of the NAACP Image Award nominee Riding Chance, a girl finds her voice in unexpected ways.

Reviews

Praise for Christine Kendall's Riding Chance:

50 Best Books for Teens by the New York Public Library

"[A] stirring look into the life of a young man finding passion, inspiration, and direction."-Publishers Weekly

"A worthwhile first outing."-Kirkus Reviews

"A heartwarming tale of redemption and second chances, as seen through the eyes of a teen surrounded by love, and determined to press on, no matter what." -Sharon G. Flake, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Skin I'm In