Chapters 1-5
What is the teacher's name that is new to the school and has a face marking?
Miss Saunders
What name does Maleeka use when writing in her diary?
Akeelma
What does Char complain about in the lunchroom?
She complains about how bad the food is.
Who does Char live with?
Her sister, Juju
Who is Maleeka's crush?
Caleb
Who makes fun of Maleeka's skin color?
John-John makes fun of Maleeks because of her dark skin.
Who is Maleeka's writing partner in Miss Saunders' class?
Desda
What book are they discussing in Miss Saunders' class?
Romeo and Juliet
What is going on at Char's house when Maleeka goes over there?
There is a party going on
What is Miss Saunders' first name?
Michael
Who brings in clothes for Maleeka and why?
Char brings in designer clothes for Maleeka because is embarrassed of her clothes that her mom sews for her.
Who fights Maleeka in the hallway and why?
Daphne fights Maleeka in the hallway because she thinks she is the one kissing her boyfriend, Worm.
Why does Maleeka's mother sew?
She sews because he helps her cope with the loss of Maleeka's father.
What happens when Maleeka walks home from Char's house?
She gets assaulted by two boys.
Char tells Raise to go get something from Maleeka before leaving the cafeteria. What was it?
Char wants her homework but Maleeka says she didn't do it even though she did.
What happened on the bus on the way to the Washington D.C.?
The kids were making fun of Maleeka and that made Caleb move his seat away from Maleeka.
What is Maleeka's best friend's name and why doesn't she go to McClenton Middle School?
Her best friend is named Sweets and she goes to a private school for smart girls.
Do the teachers at McClenton like Miss Sauders?
Why or why not?
They do not like her because they feel she gives too much work.
What does Maleeka get detention?
Who was she with?
Who wrote the book "The Skin I'm In"?
Sharon G. Flake
Who are Maleeka's three "friends" and where do they meet in the mornings?
Why do her "friends" let her hang out with them?
Char, Raina, and Raise
Maleeka tells Char if she lets her hang out with them, she will do their homework. She makes this deal in hopes that she will stop getting bullied.
Maleeka tries a new look. What is it and does it work?
Maleeka decides to get her hair cut really short. The women at the salon love her new look and tell her to "give me some attitude" but when at school, the kids still continue to tease her.
Why did Maleeka change her seat in second grade?
Who was she told to sit next and who did she end up sitting next to?
She changed her seat to the front so she could see better.
She moved her seat from sitting next John-John to sitting next to Caleb.
Maleeka gets caught eavesdropping on the conversation between Miss Saunders and Tai.
What were they talking about and why does Miss Saunders get so mad?
Miss Saunders was talking to Tai about how she always tries to be perfect at everything since she couldn't control her face marking.
She gets so mad because she was showing her vulnerable side and she doesn't want anyone to see her other than being strong and confident.
What makes Maleeka start writing in her diary and what is it about?
Miss Saunders gives Maleeka a book called "The Life of a Slave Girl" and it inspires Maleeka to keep writing about it. She writes about a slave girl named Akeelma and her crush Kinjari.