Violet Diamond, our delightful, thoughtful and mixed race, 11 year old narrator is troubled and isolated by the puzzled looks she gets when out with her white mother and older sister in her white neighbourhood. Her father died before she was born and in the absence of anyone black with whom she can relate, Violet sets out to meet her hitherto estranged black grandmother. In so doing, she reclaims her African-American heritage and begins to make sense of who she is. Profound issues of race and identity are touched on in this pacy, very readable book, best suited to Years 5 and 6.