Raspberries & Belonging

RJ has always known he is loved.But knowing you are loved doesn’t always mean understanding where you belong.When a school assignment asks RJ to create a family tree, he is faced with questions he doesn’t know how to answer-questions about identity, origin, and what it truly means to be part of a family.As RJ works through each step of the project, from grandparents to parents, cousins to himself, he begins to see that family is more than names on a page. It is the people who show up. The people who stay. The people who choose you, again and again, without hesitation.At home, RJ is surrounded by a family that expresses love in many different ways-quiet wisdom from Gpa Dan, steady care from Gma Roxy, humor and warmth from his parents, and chaos, laughter, and loyalty from his cousins.Especially Kai.Kai, who never questions whether RJ belongs.Kai, who sees him as his big cousin.Kai, who asks RJ for something simple for his birthday-something that becomes a cherished family tradition.As RJ’s understanding of his family grows, so does his understanding of himself.Because belonging isn’t something you discover in a record.It’s something you live.It’s something you share.And sometimes, it sounds like laughter.Raspberries & Belonging: Finding Home in Family is a heartfelt middle-grade coming-of-age story about identity, family bonds, and discovering that home is not where your story begins-but where it is continually chosen.