Melanie

It’s 2008 in the suburbs of Austin, TX—but in this cul de sac, the struggling economy is the least of their worries. In Melanie, neighbors Babe, Stink, and Miel have to know: why are there so many cow bones buried in Stink’s backyard? Are aliens really real? What if they are not ready for middle school? 

In the sweltering summer before sixth grade, these three girls try to stay friends amidst gender crises, first menstruations, hormonal exasperations, and micro-aggressions. But when the boy next door drives a wedge between them and childhood games go too far, they aren’t sure if being BFFLs is a promise they can actually keep. 

Melanie explores the bewildering precipice between the androgyny of childhood and the hormone-infused years of adolescence, toeing the line between looking for aliens and feeling like one yourself.