So Done

Written by Paula Chase

Narrated by Bahni Turpin

When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program.

Fans of Renée Watson’s Piecing Me Together will love this memorable story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls—and the importance of speaking up.

Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can’t wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she’s more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai.

Paula Chase explores complex issues that affect many young teens, and So Done offers a powerful message about speaking up. Full of ballet, basketball, family, and daily life in Pirates Cove, this memorable novel is for fans of Ali Benjamin’s The Thing About Jellyfish and Jason Reynolds’s Ghost.

""Chase vividly conjures the triumphs, tensions, and worries percolating in the girls’ low-income neighborhood."" (Publishers Weekly, ""An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List"")

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9780062841377

Paula Chase

Paula Chase is the cofounder of The Brown Bookshelf, a site designed to increase awareness of African American voices writing for young readers. She lives in Annapolis, Maryland. Her novels include the acclaimed So Done and its companion, Dough Boys. www.paulachasehyman.com

Reviews for So Done

[mjt041 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mila and Tai have been best friends since they were toddlers, they grew up across the street from each other, in a lower income area. As summer comes to an end, Tai cannot wait for Mila to return home from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. Although, both girls have some secrets, and when Mila returns she’s more focused on her dance auditions coming soon than hanging out with Tai. I think this is a good book for middle schoolers to read because it is very relatable. Especially in middle school kids are going through similar situations.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one grew on me. Jamila (Bean) is changing as she heads into 8th grade. A tramatic incident at her friend Tai's house has changed her feeling about the Cove. A summer away was what she needed. In the last few weeks before school starts back up Tai and Mila's friendship is put to the test as they navigate their changing dynamic, as they prep to try out for a selective new arts opportunity, and as new kids and new relationships emerge. The book is peppered with teen speak, slang in the dialog and texts. The friend group is largely African-American