Marshall Middle School (2025)
Grace is trying to find her footing in 7th grade, but between a best friend break up and her rocky relationship with her mom, it isn't easy. Is the middle school fencing club the answer to finding her people...and maybe even herself? “On Guard! is a great story about a kid finding her footing (and a cool new sport!) despite the shifting sands of divorce.” —Lucy Knisley, New York Times Bestselling creator of Stepping Stones “A great choice for fans of The Tryout, Duel, and Nat Enough.” —School Library JournalOn guard? Ready? Fence!Grace isn’t ready for a new school year. Her best friend Ava dropped her at the end of last year, the dust is still settling from her parents’ messy divorce, and things are not going well between Grace and her mom. Mothers and daughters are always so close in movies. But that’s never been Grace and her mom. So now Grace has no friends, no hobbies (band was Ava's thing), and home feels even more complicated than school. There's not a single place Grace can just relax. Until, she sees the school's fencing club practicing. They look so sure of themselves. So steady. It may not solve everything…but could this be a place Grace can finally belong and be herself?
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Writer
Cassidy WassermanAll Issues
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On Guard!
Grace is trying to find her footing in 7th grade, but between a best friend break up and her rocky relationship with her mom, it isn't easy. Is the middle school fencing club the answer to finding her people...and maybe even herself? “On Guard! is a great story about a kid finding her footing (and a cool new sport!) despite the shifting sands of divorce.” —Lucy Knisley, New York Times Bestselling creator of Stepping Stones “A great choice for fans of The Tryout, Duel, and Nat Enough.” —School Library JournalOn guard? Ready? Fence!Grace isn’t ready for a new school year. Her best friend Ava dropped her at the end of last year, the dust is still settling from her parents’ messy divorce, and things are not going well between Grace and her mom. Mothers and daughters are always so close in movies. But that’s never been Grace and her mom. So now Grace has no friends, no hobbies (band was Ava's thing), and home feels even more complicated than school. There's not a single place Grace can just relax. Until, she sees the school's fencing club practicing. They look so sure of themselves. So steady. It may not solve everything…but could this be a place Grace can finally belong and be herself?