Teens Octavia and Tali learn about strength, independence, and courage when they are forced by their parents to take a road trip with their grandmother from California to Alabama. They are always mortified to be seen with her, but their summer was filled with awakenings and …more life lessons. While on this road trip, Mare tells her grandchildren about her life while growing up in Alabama. Mare was a willful teenager in her own right, lying about her age to escape the segregated South and join the African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps during World War 2. She had to fight off segregated and discrimination in the Army with ‘‘White’s Only’’ signs. Mare only focused on serving her country for better, earning money for her mother to pay the mortgage, and not to get married to early like the other women did. She also faces her fears and sticks with her training even though it’s difficult. She overcomes her pride and agrees to lessons on learning proper English. When she moves to California after the war with her sister and Peaches, she marries and gives birth to a healthy baby boy. Later on, she finds out her husband is cheating on her and she leaves him for better. After Mare recounts her story to her grandchildren, they find themselves entranced to what Mare has accomplished throughout her teenage years and how Mare and the rest of Mare’s friends made it able for African American’s to fight in the war. Mare, Tali, and Octavia enjoy the rest of their road trip in Orlando, Florida. (less)