For 13-year-old Roxanne, life is getting pretty complicated. There have been a few nasty incidents involving some high school bullies; her older brother, Joel, runs away after learning he was adopted; her best friend, Laura, seems to have betrayed her; and this amazing guy named Michael might like her. Sound like a coming-of-age novel? It is, but the well-drawn characters and solid writing move it beyond a clichéd formula.

First-time novelist Cheryl Foggo, using the format of a diary, writes in the first person, with Roxanne as narrator. Roxanne leads us through her topsy-turvy summer, which is full of high emotions (anger, resentment, jealousy, love), new allegiances, and glimpses of adult struggles. The story moves along quickly, and Roxanne – an insightful, sometimes sarcastic, and always observant narrator – keeps the reader interested in what might happen next.

The characters are very real in this story. Roxanne and Joel are particularly appealing: true to life and full of surprises. (Their family is black but apart from a few comments about racism, this story isn’t particularly about race.) Michael and Laura as supporting characters are well drawn, too. These strong teenage characters give the novel an edge; the author has successfully gotten into their skin and lets them tell their stories and explore their feelings without too much adult interference.

By the way, the “one thing that’s true” from the title is this: “Things can change and you can think you’re lost. But you can find your way again. You can still end up where you’re supposed to be.” For Roxanne, this turbulent summer has a happy ending: the bullies back off; Joel comes home; she makes peace with Laura; and Michael does like her! As Roxanne says, “I am a girl, I am 13, I am a person who has an excellent boyfriend.”