Blended tells the story of Isabella, an 11-year-old biracial girl navigating the complexities of her parent's divorce, racial identity, and societal challenges.
Isabella is the daughter of a black mother and a white father, and her world is split in two, just like her racial background. She spends one week with her father, an attorney who lives in a large suburban home, and the next week with her mother, a talented pianist living in a city apartment. Each parent is starting new relationships, and Isabella struggles to adjust to these changes and the constant shifting between two very different environments.
At school, Isabella faces her challenges. She is taunted by a classmate for being biracial, and she grapples with a sense of belonging as she doesn't feel entirely at home in either the white or black communities. Isabella also deals with more typical pre-teen issues, such as a crush on a boy named Darren and navigating friendships.
A significant event in the book is when Isabella and Darren witness a horrifying incident of police brutality. This event profoundly affects Isabella, who starts questioning societal norms and prejudices more deeply.
Simultaneously, Isabella's parents begin a custody battle, which adds to her emotional turmoil. In an act of defiance, she takes a pair of scissors and cuts her long, "blended" hair, trying to exert some control over her life.
The novel reaches its climax when a bomb threat disrupts Isabella's piano recital. In the chaos, Isabella's parents and new partners come together to ensure her safety. The terror of the situation allows Isabella's parents to understand their daughter's emotional stress finally, and they decide to be more mindful of her feelings in the future.
The book ends on a hopeful note, with Isabella feeling more comfortable with her blended identity. She reconciles with the idea of having a mixed racial heritage and learns to draw strength from it, finding unity in her "blended" identity.
