The Life I'm In by Sharon G. Flake (author) and Scholastic (illustrator)

The powerful and long-anticipated companion to The Skin I’m In, Sharon Flake’s bestselling modern classic, presents the unflinching story of Char, a young woman trapped in the underworld of human trafficking.
My feet are heavy as stones when I walk up the block wondering why I can’t find my old self.
Char has always had to be tough.But now the hard edges that have always driven people away are all the protection she has against the world.
When Char is turned out of her home, she falls prey to human trafficking. While she’s frightened, she remains smart and strong, determined to bring herself and fellow victims out of the dark.
The Skin I’m In was a game changer that redefined young adult literature by presenting characters, voices, and real world experiences that had not been fully seen. Now Sharon Flake offers readers another timely and radical story of a girl on the brink and how her choices will lead her to either fall or fly.

Our January 2021 Teen Book of the Month

Finally, for our January Book of the Month for Teens I have chosen The Life I’m In. This is the powerful and long-anticipated companion to The Skin I’m In, Sharon Flake’s bestselling modern classic. It presents the unflinching story of Char, a young woman trapped in the underworld of human trafficking. Much is revealed behind the complex system of men who take advantage of vulnerable teens in the underbelly of society. While Char might be frightened, she remains strong and determined to bring herself and her fellow victims out of the dark and back into the light, reminding us why compassion is a powerful cure to the ills of the world.

The Skin I’m In was a game changer that redefined young adult literature by presenting characters, voices, and real world experiences that had not been fully seen. Now Sharon Flake offers readers another timely and radical story of a girl on the brink and how her choices will lead her to either fall or fly.