My So-Called Family

A moving middle grade debut about foster care, self-advocacy, and realizing that a found family is a real family.

"I loved every page--a gorgeous rendering of what it means to find home in ourselves and others." --Mariama J. Lockington, Stonewall Honor and Schneider Family Book Award winning author of In the Key of Us and Forever is Now

It's the first week of middle school, and Ash (don't call her "Ashley") already has a class assignment: Make a family tree. But how can Ash make a family tree if she doesn't have a family? Ever since she was four years old, Ash has been in foster care, living with one so-called family after another. Now she's stuck with Gladys. And the only place Ash feels safe is in the branches of her favorite tree, drawing in her sketchbook, hidden from the view of Gladys' son Jordan.

As Jordan becomes harder to hide from, and more dangerous to be around, Ash isn't sure who she can trust. A new friend, an old friend, some teachers at school? Sometimes the hardest part of asking for help is knowing who to ask.

In My So-Called Family, Gia Gordon weaves a lyrical story about complicated family dynamics that's perfect for fans of Fish in a Tree and Counting by 7s.

Author: Gia Gordon
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
Published: 11/12/2024
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.76lbs
Size: 8.53h x 5.76w x 0.98d
ISBN: 9780374392055
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2024
Publishers Weekly 09/09/2024
School Library Journal 11/01/2024 pg. 68
Booklist 11/01/2024 pg. 87

About the Author
Gia Gordon is a Texas-based author, youth activist, and former educator. She's co-founder of the non-profit Never Counted Out, which provides books to classrooms and community programs. When she's not writing, Gia can be found at home with her partner and two kitties, out thrifting, or turning no-longer-wanted household goods into beautifully painted designs at Salvage Art.