Believe is about Melanie, a smart and imaginative 5th-grader. On the surface, this is the story of Melanie’s struggle with being the new kid in school and dealing with mean-girl Karen’s bullying. On a deeper level, though, Melanie is coping with the loss of her mother who, as Melanie explains, left the family just a year prior. Melanie leans on her precocious and confident friend, Sabrina, to help her know just what to say to Karen, find the courage to audition for a school play, and ultimately face the reality of her mother’s disappearance.
