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by Traci L. Jones Patrice is a shy teenager who has been moved from her home in rural Georgia to inner-city Chicago, and that isn't working out very well for her. When she hears about scholarships to a prestigious African-American boarding school in Mississippi, it seems like a dream come true and a way out of a place where she doesn't belong. There are certainly some obstacles between Patrice and Dogwood Academy, though; the essays are no problem for a studious girl like Patrice, but what should be the easy part of the application is a huge problem: parental consent. Patrice never knew her dad, and her mom is in jail too far away for Patrice to easily make the trip. Still, she's got support in a new friend, Monty, who protects her from bullies at school and supports her in applying to Dogwood Academy in a way that her own family doesn't. Standing Against the Wind is an amazing story of a girl who overcomes the odds to pursue her dreams, despite the harshness of life around her that she can't escape. The characters don't always seem to step off the page, but Traci L. Jones's writing keeps the story together nicely, and keeps the reader's attention. Monty is a great guy -perhaps so great as to be unrealistic at times, but he holds Patrice (and so the story) together. Patrice deals with some things that she shouldn't have to handle as a thirteen-year-old, and never would have expected in Georgia; but, with Monty's help, she keeps it together and continues to pursue her dreams. It's an inspirational story, but also a very real one. |
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Standing Against The Wind