Be Real, Macy Weaver

by Lakita Wilson

Overview

A humorous, heartfelt, and fashion-filled contemporary novel about Macy Weaver, a young girl struggling with how to be her true self and make a best friend. Perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington and Stand Up, Yumi Chung.

Eleven-year-old Macy Weaver knows relationships are complicated. Fresh off her latest friendship breakup, she’s spent most of her summer break on her own. So when Macy’s mother decides to go back to college three states away, Macy jumps on the chance to move—anything for a fresh start.

But Macy’s new home isn’t exactly what she expected. Her mother’s never around and her dad’s always working. Lonelier than ever, Macy sets her sights on finding a new best friend. When she meets Brynn, who’s smart and kind and already seems to have her whole life figured out—down to her future as a high fashion model—Macy knows she’s it. The only problem is that Brynn already has a BFF and, as everyone knows, you can only have one.

Resorting to old habits, Macy turns one small lie into a whole new life—full of fantastic fashion and haute couture—but it isn't long before everything really falls apart. Ultimately, Macy must determine how to make things right and be true to herself—rather than chasing after the person she thinks she’s supposed to be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593465721
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/12/2022
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	262,389
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.40(d)
Lexile:	800L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Lakita Wilson is an MFA student at Vermont College of Fine Arts studying Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her middle grade manuscript won the 2017 SCBWI On-the-Verge Emerging Voices Award. On Instagram, you can find her posting about black culture on her account @welovedthe90s, which has over 72K followers, and promoting diverse children’s literature on her account @lakitareads, which has over 25K followers. Lakita lives in Maryland with her two children and Shih-Tzu.

Read an Excerpt

Best friendships were tricky. One day you were in. The next, you were out. At least, that was the case with Mia. And Darby. And Payton. Macy Weaver avoided looking over at any of those flakes as her teacher wrapped up the last few seconds of fifth grade.
“Remember to read at least one novel this summer to keep those brains ticking,” Ms. Parker said, fanning herself as she wandered around the warm room.
Outside, the groundskeeper hummed along atop his ride—on lawn mower. Inside, Mia and Darby whispered to each other, while Payton snuck her phone out to text under her desk.
Macy didn’t pay attention to any of that. Instead, she focused on drawing a large rainbow on her wrist. It wasn’t exactly neat, and some of the colors ran together a little bit—-but it was there.
As Ms. Parker finished speaking, Macy’s eyes flicked over to the ticking long hand moving its way around the wall clock. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting, until—yes!—dismissal.
Jumping out of her seat, Macy smoothed down her six crooked braids, then she tapped the rainbow on her wrist for good luck and darted from the room.
All around her, hope bloomed. The days were warmer. Brighter. Girls huddled near water fountains, and boys shot fake hoops in the air. Lockers slammed extra loud. The last day of school had finally arrived.
It wasn’t easy dodging through fifth graders in short—sleeved tees, high—top fades, and dingy house—key necklaces, but Macy made it work. She hopped over forgotten textbooks and ducked under falling banners that warned the students to always practice good citizenship—until finally—
“Matching tats!” Macy waved her arm in the face of her newest best friend, Josie Miller. Forget Mia. Forget Darby. And definitely forget Payton. Josie was the kind of girl who stuck around.
There were times, these last few weeks, that Macy didn’t think she’d make it to this moment. But class time was over, her final textbook was turned in, and Macy Weaver and Josie Miller were still best friends. This was a huge win. For the first time in all the years Macy had been in school, she’d finally get to spend her entire summer break with a best friend, doing whatever it was best friends did.

Editorial Reviews

07/18/2022

After getting caught in a lie, South Carolina fifth grader Macy Weaver has lost another friend and is anticipating a dreadful summer alone. But when her mother is accepted to the University of Maryland and they have to move, Macy is ecstatic for a new start, one in which no one knows her history of mistruths. “Making friends was kind of hard” for Macy, whose “creepy-crawlies,” or anxieties (which recur around “struggling to figure out just the right words and just the right way to say things”), compel her to keep her truths close to the vest. Attempting to make friends, however, causes Macy’s anxieties to take over, and she tells her new friends that her mother is not a psychology student, but a famous fashion photographer. As Macy’s lies unravel, and it looks like her past friendship breakups are destined to repeat themselves, she must learn that being oneself is the only authentic way to cultivate real connections. Wilson (Who Is Colin Kaepernick?) sensitively navigates anxiety and the societal pressures associated with belonging and making friends in this lighthearted volume with a predominantly Black cast. Ages 8–12. Agent: Melanie Figueroa, Root Literary. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"Macy is easy to love! Her search for a friend who will appreciate her true self is relatable and inspiring. The novel is fun, inclusive, and a celebration of being who you really are. This was such a delightful read! Make way for Lakita Wilson—a fresh, exciting voice in children’s fiction!"—Kekla Magoon, CSK Honor-winning author for The Season of Styx Malone and National Book Award finalist for Revolution in Our Time

*"An earnest and lighthearted novel that offers an honest look at friendships...Be Real, Macy Weaver is an authentic look into middle-grade friendships, family and identity."—Shelf Awareness, starred review
 
"Wilson’s middle-grade novel is the perfect blend of humor, introspection, and authenticity. The major characters are both realistic and likable, and she creates a fully formed, three-dimensional world that integrates serious topics with knee-slapping humor and heartfelt growth. This is a must-read for children who are working through the process of developing their own identities."—Booklist

"An engaging read...A nice blend of life’s joys and challenges for today’s middle-grade readers."—Kirkus Reviews

"Middle graders will find this a compelling and satisfying read, especially so if they are fans of fashion-oriented shows like Project Runway."—School Library Connection

"Readers will enjoy Macy’s authentic voice...[This is] a solid realistic fiction choice for fans of Renée Watson, Jamie Sumner, or Janae Marks."—School Library Journal

"Wilson...sensitively navigates anxiety and the societal pressures associated with belonging and making friends in this lighthearted volume with a predominantly Black cast."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

07/08/2022

Gr 3–7—Sixth grader Macy Weaver will do anything to have a best friend. She'll tailor her personality to match anyone she thinks has best friend potential. After this strategy leaves her with a bout of loneliness, she jumps at the chance to move to Bowie, MD, for a fresh start when her mother makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to go back to college. When Macy finds she is more alone than ever in her new home, she decides to craft a new fashion-forward persona far from her reality. As she struggles to keep up with the lies, Macy continues to feel unwanted as her true self, even when genuine friendships form. Readers will enjoy Macy's authentic voice as she reflects on her feelings and the nuanced secondary characters, all of whom are Black. The story's pacing may be slow for some readers, though it allows for tension to build around Macy. The main character's mother's absence and irresponsible spending habits are highlighted in the book, but Wilson does resolve these by the end. VERDICT This is a solid realistic fiction choice for fans of Renée Watson, Jamie Sumner, or Janae Marks. Recommended for purchase for all collections.—Monisha Blair

School Library Journal

2022-04-13
A tween struggles to navigate friendship and family in a new community.

For 11-year-old Macy Weaver, finding and keeping a best friend is a tough task. She thinks she has it all worked out with Josie, but their connection ends abruptly, and Macy is facing spending summer vacation alone. The news that her mom wants to move them from South Carolina to Maryland so she can attend college seems like a fresh start for Macy’s friend search despite the strain it places on her dad. Their family dynamic is further complicated by Macy’s mom’s decision to live on campus during the week while Macy and her dad stay in a small apartment. Once school begins, Macy is on a friendship mission, but, convinced she is not enough as she is, she makes up stories that she thinks will make her more attractive. When that does not work, she plants a wedge between two friends that backfires. Macy is an entertaining character whose desperate need shows the importance of friendship as young people develop. The portrayal of Macy’s immature mom will resonate with readers as they come to understand that not everyone has perfect parents. The appealing cast of characters, pop-culture references, and lively pacing make this an engaging read. Macy and most of the cast are Black; one of her friends is Chinese and Black, and one uses they/them pronouns.

A nice blend of life’s joys and challenges for today’s middle-grade readers. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews