Because of Anya by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Ten year old Anya has a secret that she wants to keep: she’s wearing a wig.  Her real hair has begun to fall out due to an auto immune disease known as Alopecia Areata.  School is hard enough, but when you don’t have hair, the thought of facing your peers is almost unbearable.  Anya struggles to maintain her composure in the face of various obstacles: the constant itching of her scalp, gym class, and the stares of the class bully Steph Englewood.  Margaret Peterson Haddix does an excellent job presenting how children feel as outsiders.  I enjoyed reading this sometimes painful glimpse into the world of people that don’t fit in.  Ages 8-11