Vanna Reynolds was popular and happy back in Plano, Texas, but now she lives with her mother in a tiny apartment in San Antonio. How can she start her freshman year as a complete nobody? Fatima Garcia does well in school and helps out with her family’s construction business, but is worried about her weight. So she’s thrilled when a junior starts paying attention to her – but is he really interested in Fatima? Olivia Silverstein tries to make life easier for her mother. Ever since her father died two years ago, she’s been the perfect daughter. When will she get to have her own life? When Vanna, Fatima, and Olivia meet at band practice in August, they quickly become best friends. Together, they are ready to tackle the matters of the heart that await them, deep in the heart of high school.

Written with verve and touches of humor, the voices in this first novel ring with authenticity.

Veronica Goldbach's profile page

VERONICA GOLDBACH has taught English as a second language at inner-city middle and elementary schools in Los Angeles, California, and in San Antonio, Texas, where she now lives. This book marks her debut.

“Goldbach has a deft touch . . . never drifting into melodrama and creating a very realistic story of friendship. Each girl comes across as a well-developed individual.” —School Library Journal
“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets marching band, with largely winning results.” —Kirkus Reviews