Last Summer with Maizon Book

"You're my best friend in the whole world," Maizon said.

Maizon and Margaret know how lucky they are. They live on the same block on Madison Street in Brooklyn, and they're always together. But the summer they are eleven, Margaret's father dies. Then Maizon is offered a scholarship to a boarding school, where, she's afraid, she might be the only black student.

The girls can't go back to last summer, before everything changed. But can they keep their promise to be best friends forever?

Beverley Fahey - Children's Literature

For eleven-year-old Margaret the summer that should have been a time of youthful exuberance sharing secrets and time with her best friend Maizon in their Brooklyn neighborhood instead delivered two devastating blows. The first was the sudden death of her beloved father and the second was news that Maizon had been accepted to the prestigious Blue Hill boarding school in Connecticut. Margaret's grief over these losses, coupled with her insecurities about going it alone cast a pall over the friendship. As Margaret struggles with doubt on her journey to self-discovery she has the love and support of a cast of strong female adults. It isn't until Margaret begins a new school year and with the help of a sympathetic teacher that she discovers her own inner strength. First published in 1990 Woodson's novel is deftly written and she explores, with honesty and simplicity, issues of racism, death, the elitism of private schools, and friendship is this coming of age story. Readers who wish to follow Maizon as she strives for acceptance should read Maizon at Blue Hill. 2002 (orig. 1990), Putnam Publishing Group,