Cleo Edison Oliver in Persuasion Power

Gr 3–6—Cleo Edison Oliver and her best friend Caylee have started their own business, PassionClips, a personalized barrette service, and are promoting it to their school, churches, and family members. But the person who Cleo really hopes will take notice is Fortune A. Davies, an Oprah-like entrepreneur and television host who regularly features "kidpreneurs" on her show. Cleo was adopted—she's black, while her parents are white—and she has fantasized that Fortune is her biological mom. Although Cleo knows that Fortune can't be her birth mother, she still looks longingly at the African American people at her church and in her community and wishes that she didn't have to go to a different hair salon than her mom. What makes this adoption narrative stand out is the generally cheery tone; Cleo has a great life (albeit with some typical middle school drama), but Frazier expertly demonstrates that even the most loving adoption comes with some heartache. Reluctant readers will enjoy the accessible language and even pacing.