It All Comes Down to This [9780544839571]

Overview

It’s 1965, Los Angeles. All twelve-year-old Sophie wants to do is write her book, star in the community play, and hang out with her friend Jennifer. But she’s the new black kid in a nearly all-white neighborhood; her beloved sister, Lily, is going away to college soon; and her parents’ marriage is rocky. There’s also her family’s new, disapproving housekeeper to deal with. When riots erupt in nearby Watts and a friend is unfairly arrested, Sophie learns that life—and her own place in it—is even more complicated than she’d once thought.

How does a girl find her voice when the world around her is changing so fast?

• A Heartfelt Coming of Age Story: Twelve-year-old Sophie is an aspiring writer trying to make sense of her parents’ rocky marriage, her first crush, and her own changing identity.
• 1960s Los Angeles Setting: Experience the summer of 1965 as Sophie’s family becomes the first to integrate their neighborhood, just as the historic Watts Riots change the city forever.
• The Power of Sisterhood: A moving look at the unbreakable bond between two sisters as Sophie prepares to say goodbye to her beloved role model, Lily, who is leaving for college.
• Navigating Prejudice and Friendship: When Sophie, a Black girl, and Jennifer, a white girl, become best friends, they must confront the prejudices of their neighbors and classmates together.