Dasani Coates

Dasani is the child at the heart of Elliott's book. She is beginning middle school as the book opens, and she is talking about applying to college as the book concludes. Dasani is a complex child whose life has been full of challenges, and most of these challenges have been related to poverty in some way. Her entire family (including all eight children) has experienced homelessness; in fact, all ten members of her family are sharing one room at the Auburn homeless shelter in the early chapters of Invisible Child.

Dasani is also quick-witted and street smart because she has to be. She is a good example of the "parentified" child, one who has had to take responsibility for her other siblings from a very young age. Dasani has always warmed up bottles and stayed up with ill siblings. Her mother and stepfather have struggled off...