The Things You Don’t Know About a Foe: A Review of Just Like Jackie

Eleven-year-old Robinson Hart sees herself as the defender of the weak kids in her class against bully Alex Carter, whose aggression is equaled only by his whiny sense of entitlement. Everyone else in the school, though, sees her as the problem, a strong, athletic girl whose out-of-control aggression has become dangerous. Robbie, the first-person narrator who identifies as white but lives with her African-American grandfather in a Vermont town, is facing a crisis. Her grandfather’s memory “becomes tired” at the end of the day, and he is losing words and doing strange things like putting his flannel jacket in the refrigerator. Furthermore, Robbie’s teacher has assigned a family tree project, and except for her grandfather, she knows nothing about her interracial family. She knows there’s a painful past because her grandfather refuses to tell her about it. But she’s running out of time before he forgets altogether.

When Robbie attends a counseling group with nemesis Alex and two other students, she begins to face her past and her current situation. She also learns how to make friends and solve conflicts without physical violence, and she learns that even whiny bullies have serious problems without easy solutions. Robbie, who is named for baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson, discovers the “why” of her name and how to approach the hardships of life “just like Jackie.”

Lindsey Stoddard’s debut middle grade novel is heartwarming and inspiring—an ode to heroes famous and unknown and to unique and quirky families. The “family tree” assignment, so popular in elementary schools, can be a crisis for many youngsters whose own families are divided or struggling in one way or another, and this book can help them navigate this situation, express their feelings, and become more aware of their strong roots that can help them today. Just Like Jackie is a beautifully written book that can help young people develop resilience and connect with others—even a foe who can then turn into a friend.

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