“Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke.” –Benjamin Disraeli

We all have a story–the thousands of moments and decisions that make us who we are today. This is Tyler Miller’s story. As a fifth grade student, Tyler has already experienced thousands of moments and decisions in his young life. Many say he was a great kid until fifth grade. But then, something changed. Tyler became a bully. This is an eye-opening story of disappointment and hurt told from a young boy’s perspective. Interesting characters, an intriguing storyline, and a realistic setting make this an appealing story for middle-grade readers and adults. Will Tyler remain a bully and continue to hurt those around him, or will a series of random acts of kindness help him rewrite his story?

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[In] Through the Smoke . . . you [can] see the real, ugly, raw, and relatable moments that Tyler encountered navigating his new “normal.” He questioned himself. He doubted himself. He had real moments, and [the reader can] feel every bit of it. . . . It was a powerful story that I certainly could not put down once I started reading! It is impactful, relatable, and inspiring!

— Sarah Cope

. . . Impactful. . . . will resonate with the hearts of . . . children, and the bullies of the world may find the motivation to rectify the wrongs they have done to others. This book is going to become a must for read-alouds in classrooms everywhere.

— Tiffany Morrison