A beautiful novel that tenderly explores questions of class, of family loyalty, and of the very relatable desire to fit in with the crowd. Drawing upon the historical context of the discovery of the Titanic wreckage in the 1980s, Jessica Vitalis' UNSINKABLE CAYENNE poignantly addresses poverty from a child's eye view. Cayenne's internal conflict and her wish to belong will resonate with and touch the hearts of so many young readers. My thanks to the author and Greenwillow for the eARC.

What a fantastic novel-in-verse set in the mid ‘80s showing the resilience that Cayenne has living with her family in a van. They finally decide to rent a small house, and Cayenne starts 7th grade. She quickly finds out making friends is not that easy. The popular girls make her feel like a loser in the beginning but eventually include her some. There’s a boy that she thinks she likes and maybe he likes her. When dad loses his job, Cayenne’s parents begin to fight more and mom wants to leave. Cayenne thinks that people can make her feel small, but knows it’s okay to stand out in middle school because there will always be people who will make you feel that way. Do Cayenne and her parents stay or move on?

My daughter and I had so much fun reading this book together each night. She loved the main character, and the storyline. It was a great book for kids!