by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

This heart-felt verse novel takes place in 1963. Cooper Dale, the main character, wants to be RADIANT! She wants to be a success! In her integrated class, she’s the only black girl, which sometimes causes her problems. Her nemesis is a white boy, Wade Carter, who needles and bullies her constantly. Her life gets more complicated when her mother goes to work cleaning the Carter house because the family is dealing with an illness. Cooper begins to feel torn between her hatred for Wade and her increasing sympathy for his family situation. Her strength and resiliency carry the book as she struggles to find forgiveness in her heart for her worst enemy, all the while catching Beatles fever herself (along with most of the female population of the time). This lovely verse novel gives us a glimpse into the civil rights struggles of the 1960s through Cooper’s eyes. She learns how to be radiant through the difficult times with the support of friends, family, her church, and her community. I enjoyed this book a lot and I think my readers of verse novels will enjoy this historical piece.