ZARA IN THE MIDDLE

A tug-of-war with two tough grandmas turns into a triumph of self-expression.

Zara is lucky to live right in between both her grandmothers. The only problem? The two (very opinionated) grandmothers can never agree on anything. Grandma Jane wants Zara to have a unicorn birthday party, but Grandma Gladys thinks it should be mermaid-themed. Zara is worried about hurting their feelings, so all she can think to say is, “I don’t know.” Rather than offend either of them, she tries to please both and ends up wearing mismatched clothes and two different hairstyles, one on each side of her head (Grandma Jane likes florals and an Afro, but Grandma Gladys prefers geometric shapes and braids). Zara is so anxious about making them both happy that her tummy starts to hurt. Finally, enough is enough, and she admits that sometimes she wants to do things her own way. Both grandmothers are stunned but ultimately supportive, and the trio work together to create a mood board to bring to life Zara’s vision of her perfect birthday. Jones’ painted, mixed-media, cut-paper figures and objects are bold and inviting, set against a white background. The images are visually flat, with the collage style lending the characters an appealing, paper-doll feel; this is a gentle yet powerful lesson for people pleasers everywhere. Zara and her grandmothers are Black.

An affirming, multigenerational story about just how tricky it can be to speak up.