Flake, Sharon G. The Skin I’m In. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks, 1998. 171 pages.

The novel chronicles the experience of Maleeka Madison, an African American 7th grader, who is teased because of her dark skin complexion and clothing. Maleeka desperately wants to fit in, especially with the students who tease and taunt her, so she endures the verbal and, sometimes, physical abuse. When a new teacher, Miss Saunders—a successful African American woman who has a birth mark that covers half of  her face—arrives at the school, things slowly begin to change for Maleeka. Miss Saunders encourages Maleeka to pursue creative writing and to not be ashamed of her appearance. Initially, Maleeka disregards Miss Saunders’ advice and mentorship in favor of her friends, but Maleeka soon realizes that she cannot trust them. By the end of the novel, she begins to accept the skin she’s in.