Little Man by Elizabeth Mann

This is a light story of a middle school boy who is struggling with being small in stature - especially when his brothers are all quite tall. He has lost his best friend and getting teased at school and is feeling quite out of sorts with everything when his bus driver takes him under his wing and teaches him to be a "Mocko Jumbie" - or a stilt walker. Albert learns quickly, and gets swept up in the excitement of dancing on stilts and being part of a team of stilt walkers.  You can't help but like Albert and Peachy, his mentor. You can feel the beat of the music and the excitement of the crowd when Albert and the other stilt walkers perform their final dance...

Setting is an integral part of this book. And along with being an enjoyable story of a young boy finding his confidence by mastering a new skill, the story provides a window into a fascinating aspect of caribbean culture.