A Good Kind of Trouble Summary
Lisa Moore Ramée

A Good Kind of Trouble Overview

In the children’s historical fiction novel A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée, 12-year-old Shayla Willow tries to avoid trouble at all costs. Middle school, however, brings with it changes and trouble. Shayla’s family is rocked by the trial of a White police officer charged with killing a Black man who was walking away from her. Meanwhile, Shayla faces prejudice at school where her classmates suggest she is not Black enough because her two best friends are white. Shayla has not wanted to get involved in racial issues because she does not want to make anyone angry or draw attention to herself. After she attends a Black Lives Matter rally with her family, her opinion of the movement changes. Themes in the novel include coming of age, the purpose of Black Lives Matter, and the importance of friendship.