The Parker Inheritance

The protagonist of The Parker Inheritance, Candice Miller is a twelve-year-old black girl being raised by recently divorced parents Anne and Joe. Though Candice can be slightly embarrassed about her clothing, she is overall characterized as a confident, intelligent, daring young person who is willing to challenge the status quo in the name of justice. Throughout the book, Candice’s reflections on her relationships with others reveals what a thoughtful, growing character she is; as the plot progresses, Candice develops new skills for regulating her emotions and navigating relationships in a healthy way.

Candice’s relationship with her grandmother is one of her central motivations; though Abigail Caldwell is deceased, Candice faithfully wears her bracelet and reminds herself of her grandmother’s advice frequently. This is a critical part of Johnson’s characterization of Candice because it provides Candice with necessary motivation to solve the mystery of the Parker inheritance.

Throughout the novel, Candice struggles with several common events that are typical of coming-of-age novels. She works on figuring out how to have positive friendships through her new relationship with Brandon. She also deals with the emotional impact of her parents’ divorce, as well as how to communicate her more adult needs to both parents individually.