ROXIE IN COLOR

Scared of what people will think and hoping to fit in, Roxie hides the truth about her family at her new school.

When her family moves to a different town, Roxie is apprehensive about starting seventh grade. She’s nervous that things will be like they were at her old school, where she was bullied because her parents are blind. After Roxie saves popular Quinn from being hit by a car, she’s invited to begin hanging out with her social group. She lies to her parents and keeps secrets, causing serious trouble for herself and her family. Throughout the story, readers experience what it’s like growing up as a sighted kid with blind parents. Explanatory sections detail how Roxie’s parents navigate their lives, medical conditions that cause blindness, and the discrimination that blind people face. Although the lessons are heavy-handed at times, they’re effective and consistent with the characters’ personalities. Many secondary characters are blind or are family members of blind people, and Roxie finds immense comfort in their presence. Blind characters are shown in positions of high esteem, such as software engineer (Roxie’s dad), psychologist (Roxie’s mom), and YouTuber. Fun chapters told from the point of view of Roxie’s mom’s guide dog, Nash, offer insights into guide dogs’ training and roles. Roxie’s family presents white. The book uses the Atkinson Hyperlegible font, which increases accessibility for low-vision readers.

An energetic and thoughtful story highlighting the experiences of the blind community.