A ten-day suspension has tweens De'Kari and Ebony seeing the world with a fresh perspective. Don't miss this poignant novel in verse from the award-winning author of Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero.Two kids. One fight. No one thinks they’re wrong. Flow I don’t even hit girls . . . is what I’m thinking.I roll my eyes, turn them to my shoes. Shoes I’ma wear every day till they fall off my feet. EbIt was all just an accident!Nobody was trying to mess uphis Stupid Ugly Shoes. Now I’ve got my third suspension of seventh grade. Ebony and De’Kari (aka Flow) do
not get along. How could they when their cafeteria scuffle ended with De'Kari's ruined shoes, Ebony on the ground, and both of them with ten days of at-home suspension? Now Eb and Flow have two weeks to think about and explain their behavior—to their families, to each other, and ultimately to themselves.
Award-winning author Kelly J. Baptist delivers a novel in verse that follows Eb and Flow as they navigate their parallel lives. Single-parent homes, tight funds, and sibling dynamics provide a balancing act for the growing tweens. And whether they realize it or not, these two have a lot more in common than they think.
On sale: March 14, 2023
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 6-8
Page count: 224 Pages
ISBN: 9780593429136
Reading level: Lexile: NP | Fountas/Pinnell: Y
Kelly J. Baptist is the inaugural winner of the We Need Diverse Books short-story contest. Her story is featured in the WNDB anthology
Flying Lessons & Other Stories and inspired her first full-length novel,
Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, and its sequel,
Isaiah Dunn Saves the Day. Kelly is also the author of the picture book
The Electric Slide and Kai and
The Swag Is in the Socks, which was inspired by her love of unique socks, as well as her older sister’s hero work as a speech-language pathologist. Kelly lives in southwest Michigan with her five amazing children. Find Kelly at kellyiswrite.com.
Praise for Eb & Flow
“A
moving and layered story of reflection and connection.”
—Kirkus Reviews
"This story
will resonate with readers struggling to find ways to express their emotional lives in ways that society deems appropriate."
—The Horn Book
Praise for Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero:A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year!
“An
inventive and heartfelt debut novel.”
—The New York Times★ "
An uplifting, affirming story for every collection.”
—Booklist, starred review
★ "Isaiah’s optimism, drive, and loyalty to friends and family make him
a hero to cheer for and lend a feeling of hope to this exploration of difficult topics."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
Praise for The Swag Is in the Socks:
★"
An excellent read-alike to Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me or Janae Marks’ From the Desk of Zoe Washington.”
–Booklist, Starred Review
"
A warm but authentic picture of a middle schooler figuring out who he is and who he wants to be."
–The Bulletin
