Be Real, Macy Weaver

Description

A humorous, heartfelt, and fashion-filled contemporary novel about Macy Weaver, a young girl struggling with how to be her true self and make a best friend. Perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and Stand Up, Yumi Chung.

Eleven-year-old Macy Weaver knows relationships are complicated. Fresh off her latest friendship breakup, she’s spent most of her summer break on her own. So when Macy’s mother decides to go back to college three states away, Macy jumps on the chance to move—anything for a fresh start.
 
But Macy’s new home isn’t exactly what she expected. Her mother’s never around and her dad’s always working. Lonelier than ever, Macy sets her sights on finding a new best friend. When she meets Brynn, who’s smart and kind and already seems to have her whole life figured out—down to her future as a high fashion model—Macy knows she’s it. The only problem is that Brynn already has a BFF and, as everyone knows, you can only have one.
 
Resorting to old habits, Macy turns one small lie into a whole new life—full of fantastic fashion and haute couture—but it isn’t long before everything really falls apart. Ultimately, Macy must determine how to make things right and be true to herself—rather than chasing after the person she thinks she’s supposed to be.”Macy is easy to love! Her search for a friend who will appreciate her true self is relatable and inspiring. The novel is fun, inclusive, and a celebration of being who you really are. This was such a delightful read! Make way for Lakita Wilson—a fresh, exciting voice in children’s fiction!”—Kekla Magoon, CSK Honor-winning author for The Season of Styx Malone and National Book Award finalist for Revolution in Our Time

*“An earnest and lighthearted novel that offers an honest look at friendships…Be Real, Macy Weaver is an authentic look into middle-grade friendships, family and identity.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review
 
“Wilson’s middle-grade novel is the perfect blend of humor, introspection, and authenticity. The major characters are both realistic and likable, and she creates a fully formed, three-dimensional world that integrates serious topics with knee-slapping humor and heartfelt growth. This is a must-read for children who are working through the process of developing their own identities.”—Booklist

“An engaging read…A nice blend of life’s joys and challenges for today’s middle-grade readers.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Middle graders will find this a compelling and satisfying read, especially so if they are fans of fashion-oriented shows like Project Runway.”—School Library Connection

“Readers will enjoy Macy’s authentic voice…[This is] a solid realistic fiction choice for fans of Renée Watson, Jamie Sumner, or Janae Marks.”—School Library Journal

“Wilson…sensitively navigates anxiety and the societal pressures associated with belonging and making friends in this lighthearted volume with a predominantly Black cast.”—Publishers WeeklyLakita Wilson is an MFA student at Vermont College of Fine Arts studying Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her middle grade manuscript won the 2017 SCBWI On-the-Verge Emerging Voices Award. On Instagram, you can find her posting about black culture on her account @welovedthe90s, which has over 72K followers, and promoting diverse children’s literature on her account @lakitareads, which has over 25K followers. Lakita lives in Maryland with her two children and Shih-Tzu. 
 
 

 Best friendships were tricky. One day you were in. The next, you were out. At least, that was the case with Mia. And Darby. And Payton. Macy Weaver avoided looking over at any of those flakes as her teacher wrapped up the last few seconds of fifth grade.
“Remember to read at least one novel this summer to keep those brains ticking,” Ms. Parker said, fanning herself as she wandered around the warm room.
Outside, the groundskeeper hummed along atop his ride—on lawn mower. Inside, Mia and Darby whispered to each other, while Payton snuck her phone out to text under her desk.
Macy didn’t pay attention to any of that. Instead, she focused on drawing a large rainbow on her wrist. It wasn’t exactly neat, and some of the colors ran together a little bit—-but it was there.
As Ms. Parker finished speaking, Macy’s eyes flicked over to the ticking long hand moving its way around the wall clock. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting, until—yes!—dismissal.
Jumping out of her seat, Macy smoothed down her six crooked braids, then she tapped the rainbow on her wrist for good luck and darted from the room.
All around her, hope bloomed. The days were warmer. Brighter. Girls huddled near water fountains, and boys shot fake hoops in the air. Lockers slammed extra loud. The last day of school had finally arrived.
It wasn’t easy dodging through fifth graders in short–sleeved tees, high–top fades, and dingy house–key necklaces, but Macy made it work. She hopped over forgotten textbooks and ducked under falling banners that warned the students to always practice good citizenship—until finally—
“Matching tats!” Macy waved her arm in the face of her newest best friend, Josie Miller. Forget Mia. Forget Darby. And definitely forget Payton. Josie was the kind of girl who stuck around.
There were times, these last few weeks, that Macy didn’t think she’d make it to this moment. But class time was over, her final textbook was turned in, and Macy Weaver and Josie Miller were still best friends. This was a huge win. For the first time in all the years Macy had been in school, she’d finally get to spend her entire summer break with a best friend, doing whatever it was best friends did.CA

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