My Year in the Middle

Written & illustrated by Lila Quintero Weaver

In 1970 Alabama, Lu's running talent challenges racial divides and tests her friendships.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 817 ratings

288 pages· 51,110 words· Est. 7 hour read

$15.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon.

Bookroo's summary

In 1970 Alabama, sixth-grader Lu Olivera navigates a racially divided classroom where her talent for running track sparks tension. As her old friends change and new friendships with fellow runner Belinda Gresham seem impossible due to racial barriers, Lu faces a choice. With political tensions rising, Lu must decide whether to stand up against the racial divide or remain neutral. Can she find the courage to choose friends who share her values and challenge the status quo? Discover Lu's journey as she races against more than just time.

From the publisher

Miss Garrett’s classroom is like every other at our school. White kids sit on one side and black kids on the other. I’m one of the few middle-rowers who split the difference. In a racially polarized classroom in 1970 Alabama, Lu’s talent for running track makes her a new best friend—and tests her mettle as she navigates the school’s social cliques. Sixth-grader Lu Olivera just wants to keep her head down and get along with everyone in her class. Trouble is, Lu’s old friends have been changing lately—acting boy crazy and making snide remarks about Lu’s newfound talent for running track. Lu’s secret hope for a new friend is fellow runner Belinda Gresham, but in 1970 Red Grove, Alabama, blacks and whites don’t mix. As segregationist ex-governor George Wallace ramps up his campaign against the current governor, Albert Brewer, growing tensions in the state—and in the classroom—mean that Lu can’t stay neutral about the racial divide at school. Will she find the gumption to stand up for what’s right and to choose friends who do the same?

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