After Cecil Hall and his family moves from Florida to Massachusetts, near Boston, he's anxious around making new friends and fitting in at his new school. His older sister, Leah, thinks he should befriend the other Black kids at his new school, but Cecil isn't sure how do so. He'd rather be known for his comics-making talent, but the few kids who are impressed by Cecil's art aren't always nice to him. In addition, his overworked father wants him to develop other interests besides his art and to "toughen up" and stand up for himself. But things get even more complicated when one of his drawings is used for a prank that gets him into trouble.