MILLIE'S DIARY

A tween who comes from a life of poverty strives to overcome challenges while remaining optimistic.

Millie is a Black 12-year-old girl from Gary, Indiana. She has two sisters and a brother, and they all live with their mother; their father has died. Millie doesn’t have much, but she maintains gratitude for what little she has. She has one friend, Rosa, who moved away recently. Though she misses Rosa, she doesn’t let that get her down and eventually desires to make new friends. While knowing that her dreams may not come true, Millie still dares to aspire to achieve great things and hopes that she can influence other children to dream big as well. She is hopeful for a time when all children are able to live in luxury, excess even—and she hopes that children will have the drive and opportunities to grow up and achieve. Via her diary entries, readers get insights into Millie’s thoughts about herself, her experiences and life circumstances, her family, and society. The concept of this book is unfortunately so ambiguous that it ends up reading like a collection of unedited streams of consciousness. With its repetitive, generic statements and unfocused structure, the narrative proves confusing and lacking in fluidity. Better worldbuilding, a clear plot, and more well-rounded character development could turn this into a novel that would pique and satiate readers’ interests.

A sincere story that needs more revision, polish, and direction.