By Kathryn Erskine, Author & Illustrator. National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine delivers a poignant middle grade novel about Lily, a shy sixth-grade girl navigating a new school, bullies, friendships, and the last promise she made to her late father. Perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt and Ali Benjamin. Shy, eleven-year-old Lily promised her dad before he passed away that she would try speaking up five times. But now “Strive for Five” feels impossible, especially as she enters public school for the first time after being homeschooled. Fortunately, she meets curling-obsessed Hobart and quiet Dunya as well as a few other friends at the beginning of sixth grade. It is their kindness that gives Lily hope that life without her dad might just be bearable. However, when Lily and her new friends are bullied by Ryan and his group of mean girls and rude boys, she discovers that staying silent is no longer an option. With memorable characters and friendships that withstand middle grade strife—accompanied by the insightful, often irreverent, commentary from Libro, the book itself—we see Lily realize that she must use the tools her dad gave her to not only fulfill her final promise but also help the whole school come together. For ages 8 and up.