Maleeka Madison III is the protagonist, or main character, of the novel. She is a seventh-grade student at McClenton Middle School, an under resourced institution in an unspecified town. Maleeka lives with her Momma, and they both struggle emotionally and financially as they mourn the death of Maleeka’s father, who died three years ago. Maleeka is constantly teased by her classmates about her dark skin and overall appearance, as well as her socioeconomic status. She describes herself as the “darkest, worst-dressed thing” (8) and the “tallest, skinniest thing” (8). The way she refers to herself as a “thing” demonstrates her low self-esteem. Others also pick on her for being smart; she is a “math whiz” (8), has a good memory, and soon learns that she is also a good writer. 

Maleeka’s main struggle throughout the novel is with learning to love herself, as well as to stand up for herself in the face of opposition. However, she overcomes these difficulties. Maleeka is therefore a dynamic character; rather than staying the same, she undergoes a transformation and grows as a person. In the beginning she accepts the bullying from John-John, Charlese, and the other kids. However, the encouraging memory of her father leads to her dramatic haircut.