Gideon Green in Black and White

Diary of a Witness

Prairie Evers

Geography Club

The Black Kids

Fat Hoochie Prom Queen

Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade

Dear Rachel Maddow

A girl walks into a bar… then onto a stage, and up to the mic.

Sixteen-year-old Izzy is used to keeping her thoughts to herself—in school, where her boyfriend does the talking for her, and at home, where it’s impossible to compete with her older siblings and high-powered parents—but when she accidentally walks into a stand-up comedy club and performs, the experience is surprisingly cathartic. After the show, she meets Mo, an aspiring comic who’s everything Izzy’s not: bold, confident, comfortable in her skin. Mo invites Izzy to join her group of friends and introduces her to the Chicago open mic scene.

The only problem? Her new friends are college students—and Izzy tells them she’s one, too. Now Izzy, the dutiful daughter and model student, is sneaking out to perform stand-up with her comedy friends, and she can hardly remember all the lies she’s telling to keep her two lives separate.

Her controlling boyfriend is getting suspicious, and her former best friend knows there’s something going on. But Izzy loves comedy and this newfound freedom. As her two parallel lives collide—in the most hilarious of ways—Izzy must choose to either hide what she really wants and who she really is or, finally, truly stand up for herself.

Discover Your Child's Next Read

Gideon Green in Black and White

Katie Henry, 2022

Diary of a Witness

Catherine Ryan Hyde, 2009

Prairie Evers

Ellen Airgood, 2012

Geography Club

Brent Hartinger, 2003

The Black Kids

Christina Hammonds Reed, 2020

Fat Hoochie Prom Queen

Nico Medina, 2008

Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade

Esmé Raji Codell, Leuyen Pham, 2004

Dear Rachel Maddow

Adrienne Kisner, 2018