Don't Say Ain't, by Irene Smalls, is a beautiful and moving story of a young girl's struggle to adjust to a changing world without losing touch with her roots. It's 1957 and jump ropes beat out Double Dutch rhythms for three best friends living in Harlem. For Dana life is about to change. Her high score on a citywide test means she will attend the newly integrated advanced school. But the kids at the new school make fun of the way Dana talks. And her best friends in the neighborhood don't know what to make of the change'does Dana think she's better than they are? Dana feels confused and alone. Dana's feelings will be familiar to many children today who attend schools outside their own neighborhood, or who speak a different language at home than the one they speak in school. Her determination and her sense of values will inspire them.