Overview

When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program. Fans of Renée Watson's Piecing Me Together will love this memorable story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls--and the importance of speaking up. Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can't wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she's more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai. Paula Chase explores complex issues that affect many young teens, and So Done offers a powerful message about speaking up. Full of ballet, basketball, family, and daily life in Pirates Cove, this memorable novel is for fans of Ali Benjamin's The Thing About Jellyfish and Jason Reynolds's Ghost.

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9781538552193

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Reviews

A beautifully written and achingly realistic portrayal of the growing pains even the best friendships often must endure. -- Jo Knowles, author of See You At Harry's Chase's middle-grade debut dazzles. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Tai's exuberance forms an effective foil to Mila's internal turmoil, and the building anticipation about who will be chosen for the program and whether Mila will divulge her secret will keep readers turning pages. -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) Though the audiobook alternates viewpoints between the two girls, Bahni Turpin uses the same narrative voice throughout. Tai's and Mila's perspectives are so different that listeners won't be confused by the consistency in narrative voice; they'll instead be delighted by Turpin's skill in crafting individual speaking voices for each character. Turpin ..flawlessly balances gravity in narrating difficult scenes with playfulness when the girls are with their friends. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award. -- AudioFile

A beautifully written and achingly realistic portrayal of the growing pains even the best friendships often must endure. -- ""Jo Knowles, author of See You At Harry's"" Chase's middle-grade debut dazzles. -- ""Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"" Tai's exuberance forms an effective foil to Mila's internal turmoil, and the building anticipation about who will be chosen for the program and whether Mila will divulge her secret will keep readers turning pages. -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" Though the audiobook alternates viewpoints between the two girls, Bahni Turpin uses the same narrative voice throughout. Tai's and Mila's perspectives are so different that listeners won't be confused by the consistency in narrative voice; they'll instead be delighted by Turpin's skill in crafting individual speaking voices for each character. Turpin ..flawlessly balances gravity in narrating difficult scenes with playfulness when the girls are with their friends. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award. -- ""AudioFile""

Author Information

Before becoming a full-time writer, Paula Chase worked in nonprofit communications and in public relations for a tech company. She is the cofounder of The Brown Bookshelf, an organization that increases awareness of African American voices writing for young readers. So Done is her first middle grade novel. She lives with her family outside of Annapolis, Maryland. Bahni Turpin has guest starred in many television series, including NYPD Blue, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, and Cold Case. Her film credits include Brokedown Palace and Crossroads. She has won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and three prestigious Audie Awards.

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