Serena Says [9780062936974]

Overview

Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis delivers a heartwarming and humorous middle grade tale about a young Black girl who finds her own voice through vlogging and learns to speak out. Perfect for fans for Sharon M. Draper and Lisa Greenwald.

JC shines like a 4th of July sparkler. She has the best ideas, the biggest, funniest laugh, and the party starts when she arrives. Serena St. John is proud to be known as her best friend.

Everything changes when JC returns from the hospital with a new kidney—and a new best friend. Out of the spotlight of JC’s friendship, suddenly things aren’t quite so sparkly in Serena’s world.

Lonely Serena works on perfecting her vlogs, hoping to earn a shot at becoming a classroom reporter. If she can be smart and funny on video, why can’t she manage that in real life? If only she could always pause, edit, or delete conversations. It would be so much easier to say the right thing at the right time . . . instead of not saying what she should, or, even worse, blurting out a secret that wasn’t hers to share.

Life doesn’t have a pause button—but as Serena discovers her voice through vlogging, she learns that she’s not just there to reflect JC’s light—she’s fully capable of shining on her own.

Vlogging is more than a hobby—it’s a chance for Serena to become the main character in her own life.

• A Heartfelt Friendship Story: From inseparable besties to awkward strangers, Serena has to navigate the confusion and heartbreak of watching her friend JC drift away after a life-changing surgery.
• Finding Your Voice: Serena starts a vlog, "Serena Says," discovering that behind the camera she can be the funny, smart person she struggles to be in the school hallways.
• An Authentic Black Heroine: A funny, heartwarming, and totally relatable story about a young Black girl learning to shine and take up space, perfect for any kid who’s ever felt like a sidekick.
• Humorous Middle School Drama: Filled with all the awkward, cringey, and hilarious moments of sixth grade, from class projects to wishing life had a pause button.