An inspiring and poetic story about reading, libraries, and overcoming shyness to find community.I gather the books in my arms, and give them a hug. "Welcome back," I whisper. Nicky is a shy girl who feels most at home in the safe space of her school library, but the library closes for a week and Nicky is forced to face her social anxiety. When she meets a group of unique, diverse, inspiring women at her mother's diner—members of a women's motorcycle club—Nicky realizes that being different doesn’t have to mean being alone, and that there’s a place for everyone.
Book lovers of all ages will find inspiration in this beautiful love letter to reading—and how words help us find empathy and connections with the world around us.
★ Ezra Jack Keats Award HonorA Kirkus Best Book of the Year
An Atlanta Parent Best Book of the Year
A RISE: A Feminist Book Project Reading List selection
An Association for Library Service to Children Notable Book
Maine Chickadee Award nominee, 2023-24
"A shy girl who feels most at home in the school library gains the courage to extend herself to others when she encounters a group of unique, diverse, inspiring women at the diner where her mother works"--
