Just Right Jillian is a beautiful book for younger middle grade readers. Jillian is in 5th grade, extremely shy and uncertain. She mourns the loss of her beloved grandmother, but she also draws on memories of her words, wisdom and lessons to give her strength and courage. It's wonderful story of becoming who we are, rather than submitting to the wishes of others.
As a librarian I search for stories that can help my students see themselves within a story. Jillian comes from a strong, loving family, and her school life is filled with normalcy - students struggling to find their place academically, socially, and within themselves. When it is published, this book may be labeled as diverse reading for school collections, but really, that is a label I hope one day we can not look for, or feel the need to divide books into. Children want to see themselves in stories they read, and Just Right Jillian is about so much more. Diverse does not mean just about skin color, it can mean anyone who is different from peers or what society deems as acceptable. In this story, Jillian is black, and the majority of her schoolmates are black; she makes it a point to note that Jake, in her class, is one of a small group of white students, and he is well accepted (he is tall, too!). But this book is not about Jillian's skin color. Her place in the world with her parents is secure and accepting. She suffers from wanting to fit in, but also wanting to stand out and be herself. By unwritten agreement, all the fifth grade girls wear the same types of clothes and the same hair-do's on different days of the week. It makes Jillian feel invisible, and that is the true diversity of this book - trying to fit into a place where she is not entirely comfortable; wanting to conform, yet still be herself. It is about bravery and taking changes and taking a stand for oneself. But it is also about friendships, and what it means to be a true, accepting friend.
This is a truly wonderful book, and I am going to be so honored to add it to my library collection when it is published.
