Standing+Against+the+Wind+by+Traci+L.+Jones

__**//Standing Against the Wind//**__ by Traci L. Jones. Published in 2006

"//No matter which direction she walked in, it seemed that the wind blew right in her face, as if to stop her from moving forward//."(5)

Living in a cold and blustery Chicago isn't easy for Patrice an eigth grader who is more than not also called "Puffy". Patrice was happy living in Gerogia with her Grandmother when one day her mother came and brought her to Chicago, only soon before her mother was sentenced to prison some 30 miles away. The only thing in Chicago Patrice looked forward to was going to school. "Puffy" is the nickname kids at school call her because of her abundant hair. "Puffy" was always the quiet, shy girl and kids would say that, "//her hair had all the personality, leaving none for the shy, studious girl who lived underneath it//." (6) In a city of harsh weather and snide remarks Patrice finally finds comfort in something other than school. A boy named Monty is the glue that keeps a tough group of boys together. But, unlike the other boys Monty sticks up for Patrice and they quickly learn they are more alike than they ever could have imagined. Patrice and Monty's relationship grows while Patrice helps Monty get back on track in school and helps him show his true intelligence. In the meantime, Monty belives in Patrice and helps her to stand up for what she believes in and to feel loved. When Patrice's principal informs her of a scholarship competition for a prestigious African American boarding school in Mississippi, she becomes determined to win one. Patrice has always done things on her own, accepting it that way. Well, not this time. If Patrice really wants the scholarship she is going to have to embrace the challenges ahead and recieve help from unexpected places.

“Standing Against the Wind” by Traci L. Jones explores the issues that many young adults must deal with, no matter where they live. If you like to read stories about overcoming obstacles, battling others expectations of you, and realizing the kind of person you are meant to be, this is the book for you. Patrice is a thirteen year old girl who is down on herself. She sees all of the despair and hopelessness that surrounds her and feels trapped. Her journey takes her along a road that teaches her who is important in her life and ultimately, finding her self-confidence. The reader is also given information about the issues that people, living in this city, deal with; issues of poverty, unemployment, crime, and education. The issues are explored through different characters and their lives. This is a book that shows how people and situations ultimately contribute to who we are as individuals. If you are looking for a book that empowers the human spirit and deals with some of the harder issues in life, then you must read this book. This book is the first for Traci L. Jones. There are other authors that deal with learning who you are and realizing the impact that other people and events, in your life, have on your individuality. **//Some of the authors, and their books, are//**:
 * [|Cynthia Lord “Rules”]
 * [|Jennifer Holm “Penny from Heaven”]
 * [|Nikki Grimes “The Road to Paris”]
 * [|Kirby Larson “Hattie Big Sky”]

Traci L. Jones has been writing all her life, and the skill that comes of practice and perseverance is evident throughout her first, heartwarming novel. The author lives with her husband and four children in Denver, Colorado.

//**Additional Resources:**//
 * http://www.embracingthechild.org/ajones.html
 * http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/corettascott.htm
 * http://www.myshelf.com/teen/fiction/06/standingagainstthewind.htm
 * http://motherreader.blogspot.com/2007/04/standing-against-wind.html

//**
 * //Standing Against the WInd Podcast: