Rites of Passage

Sam McKenna, raised in a military family, has never turned down a dare and especially not the one from her brother, just before he died, to join the first female cadets at a prestigious military academy. Sam is prepared for hard physical work but nothing has prepared her for the sexism and overt hostility she faces from a secret society determined to ensure no women will last the year, never mind graduate. Suitable for independent reading, literature circles, or whole class novel activities in grades 8-12, the novel can encourage critical thinking and discussion of sexism and gender roles.