Between Classes

About this book

When eighteen-year-old Derell moves from Jamaica to Toronto to live with his father, he leaves behind his girlfriend and sick mother and steps into a world he doesn't recognize. At his new and very elite high school, Derell meets Amina, a gifted dancer, and the two click. But Amina is caught between her heart and her family's demands to date within their wealthy circle. That circle includes Malik, a flashy aspiring rapper who sees Derell as competition both in music and in love. Balancing the pressure of fitting in, clashes with Malik, and his father's new family, Derell has to decide whether or not to try to join in with the world of Amina's family and friends, all obsessed with money and status. This is a story that reflects the tensions within the Jamaican Canadian community where barriers of social class and status play out among both teens and adults.