In her first middle-grade novel, award-winning picture book author and illustrator Angela Dominguez tells a heartwarming story based on her own experiences growing up Mexican-American. Stella Diaz loves marine animals, especially her betta fish, Pancho. But Stella Diaz is not a betta fish. Betta fish like to be alone, while Stella loves spending time with her mom and brother and her best friend Jenny. Trouble is, Jenny is in another class this year,...

From award-winning author Angela Dominguez, the fifth and final novel about Stella Diaz, a Mexican-American girl who is now ready to be at top of her school-fifth grade! Stella is getting ready for her next big step. This year, she's a fifth grader, which means she's not only one of the big kids in her elementary school, but she'll also have to start thinking about middle school. GULP! Luckily, Stella can count on her best friends Jenny and Stanley...

When fifth-grader Stella Díaz considers going to a different school than her closest friends, sees her big brother Nick receiving mail from colleges far away, and is forced to work on a project with her former bully, she suddenly realizes growing up is not quite as fun as she first thought.

"Stella is happy as a clam in fourth grade. She's the president of the Sea Musketeers conservation club, she starts taking swim lessons, and she joins a new art club at school. But as her schedule fills up, school gets harder, too. Suddenly the tides have turned, and she is way too busy!"--Provided by publisher