Told with laugh-out-loud humor and take-no-prisoners frankness, this is a story of incredible resilience amid the dangers and chaos of poverty, prejudice, and personal demons.

Macy's school officially classifies her as "disturbed," but Macy isn't interested in how others define her. She's got more pressing problems: her mom can't move off the couch, her dad's in prison, her brother's been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn't speaking to her.

Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that's both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can't tell her incarcerated father that her mom's cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy's machete.

• Main character is a girl of colour. 
• Author (a woman of colour) was raised by a single father and is a teacher and frequent foster parent, with an up-close view of the lives on which Macy's is based. 
• Macy is funny, whip-smart, and courageous despite her troubled inner and outer worlds; this is not a maudlin story of victimhood.