Fuzzy Mud

Smart, dark-haired Tamaya has a soft voice but firm moral standards. She takes pride in doing the right thing and is “scared to death of getting in trouble” (15). Tamaya is proud of her schoolwork, her perfect attendance, and the scholarship that allows her to attend the prestigious Woodridge Academy, which her parents otherwise couldn’t afford. She isn’t vain about her intelligence; she accepts herself for who she is. In other ways, she’s just like other tweens, with strong likes and dislikes: She hates onions and crushes on the handsome assistant headmaster, Mr. Franks.

However, being good has its drawbacks: Tamaya is so conscientious that teachers take her for granted, and her friends think she follows the rules too much—something that’s not cool as they approach middle school. Tamaya isn’t as savvy about changing social rules and interactions as she is about school rules and feels left out and self-conscious. A child of divorce, Tamaya feels like she’s living two lives, neither of which is complete.

Tamaya’s virtues are put to the test when she must break the rules to follow Marshall into the woods—and when she returns to look for Chad. Even though she thinks she’s not brave, she endangers herself to right a wrong she thinks she made by taking responsibility to help Chad while also trying to keep her promise to Marshall.