Book excerpt: This powerful first novel is heart wrenching, poetically unsettling, and has the potential to brighten our entire outlook on the life we live. My Name Is Thank-You meticulously weaves together the lives of two very different thirteen-year-old girls. We follow them into a world of chaos, contrasting continuously from light to dark. To Thank-You, the world is full of promise. Despite being raised an orphan, she carries within her the ability to find the beauty in any situation. To Josephine, the world is a sad and lonely place. Although born into wealth, she is plagued by a life wrought with abuse. We follow their journeys into self-discovery, forgiveness, and ultimately redemption, finding bits and pieces of ourselves along the way and getting a first-hand look at what freedom truly looks like. Their stories are our stories; their voices are our voices, teaching us that no matter the circumstances we may be facing, perspective is everything. This is the kind of story that will have you smiling through your tears and asking yourself, "How can I become a light?" *B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree*