"The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake is a book about 13 year old Maleeka and her struggles maintaining school problems and home problems. After her father died her mother found a way to cope with the stress by sewing, her mother would sew clothes for Maleeka and since her family had very little income,  the homemade clothes where the only ones Maleeka had to wear. Maleeka was always being teased at school, for either wearing homemade clothes, or for being to dark, or just because she was very smart. And Maleeka didn't stand up for herself she always felt as if it wasn't worth it. But a new teacher  Ms. Saunders starts working at the school and things get worse for Maleeka. This teacher actually cares about the students she teaches and tries to get them into learning. And with Maleeka being very smart her grades went flying and the kids who's grades didn't, didn't really appreciate it. And Maleeka's "friends" only want to see her drown with them. But as the story progresses Maleeka learns that she needs to be happy with herself an not let people bring her down. This is a great book about self discovery and learning about self worth