The Year the Maps Changed

In Danielle Binks’s debut middle grade novel, set against the backdrop of a 1999 refugee crisis, twelve-year-old Fred struggles to define her sense of home and family after her mother’s death and her stepfather’s new relationship. As her town gears up to welcome refugees from war-torn Kosovo, Fred navigates her feelings of displacement and forms connections that challenge the existing divisions within her community. Through her journey, Fred’s understanding of friendship, family, and belonging evolves, ultimately reshaping her personal map of life.