Brynn Harper’s life has one steadying force – Rachel Maddow. She watches her daily, and after writing to Rachel for a school project, Brynn drafts emails to Rachel but never sends them. Brynn tells Rachel about breaking up with her first girlfriend, about her brother Nick’s death, her passive mother and even worse stepfather, about how she’s stuck in remedial courses at school and is considering dropping out.
Then Brynn is confronted with a moral dilemma. One student representative will have a voice among administration in the selection of a school superintendent. Brynn’s nemesis John believes only honours students are worthy of the committee seat. Brynn feels all students deserve a voice. She asks herself: What would Rachel Maddow do?
This is an at times heartbreaking story of a teenager coming to grips with the death of her brother, an abusive step-father and a neglectful mother. Told in a series to emails to Rachel Maddow, an American political commentator, Brynn opens up in a way she can’t with the people around her. With the help of her diverse group of friends and a supportive teacher, Brynn finds herself fighting against injustice in her school and finds her own way through the trials of her home life.
Read more about the author, Adrienne Kisner.