Maggie Horne

Seventh grader Hazel is focused on winning her school's speech contest this year, beating her rival, last year's winner Ella Quinn. Instead, Hazel learns that Ella Quinn is being sexually harassed by their classmate Tyler, and when Hazel, Ella Quinn, and Ella's best friend Riley try to get help from adults in school, they get punished instead. It's up to Hazel to use her voice to speak up for Ella - and speak up at a time and place where everyone has to listen.

Triumphant.

See also: Dress Coded, Revenge of the Red Club, Go with the Flow, Moxie, Attack of the Black Rectangles

Author's note

Quotes

I've been told that it's impossible to know everything, but I think I've found a loophole. (first sentence)

[My dad] and my mom spend so much time worrying about whether I'll turn out okay that sometimes I can't tell if they think I'm okay right now. (18-19)

But then I remember that I'm not the type of person who gets nervous speaking in front of a crowd. When I'm giving a speech, I can be a totally different person, someone who isn't ever afraid of anything and who can stand up straight and tell people things they never knew before. I can make people listen to what I have to say. (56)

I didn't realize how much of friendship involved trying to solve very complicated problems in your head in the middle of a conversation without making it seem like that's what you're doing. (152)

Too many people have thought too little of me lately. (162)

"If a student comes to you feeling unsafe, you make them feel safe. If you don't understand that, I truly can't comprehend why you would become an educator in the first place." (Ms. Gates to Mrs. West, 198)

From the author's note:
Special thanks to Mr. Butcher, who once refused to answer a question I asked because I had used the word gonna, thus spurring me on to publish a book with Gonna in the title. Your move, Butcher.… (més)