Creating Grace

Creating Grace is the first book in the Standing in the Rain series by author Dawn Hinker-Osborn. This first book is about Gracie, a typical middle school girl from the Midwest, who is trying to navigate her way through puberty and her teen years. Like most girls her age, Gracie wants to be popular and accepted by her peers. Her journey through adolescence seems normal and filled with some of the usual happenings and hazards of growing up (slumber parties, first crushes, and moments of indecision) until Ruth, a rebellious girl whose inner pain manifests itself through her outer appearance and her treatment of others. Ruth becomes an outcast who is the center of ridicule. To make matters worse, she starts behaving strangely - even for Ruth. The sudden change in Ruth’s behavior and a sudden tragedy bring Gracie to a fork in the road of her life that demands she make some soul-searching choices. She must choose to either follow the path her Christian faith demands or follow the easier path that will allow her to remain in the safety net of popularity, but could ultimately compromise her faith. Will Gracie reach out to someone who needs a friend and risk her current (though not altogether healthy) friendships, or will fear of rejection cause her not to act?