Cartwheels in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell

Wilhelmina, Will, lives with her father on a ranch in Zimbabwe. She loves everything about the country and the freedom it provides. She is given the nickname Wildcat, and she's definitely earned. it. She enjoys playing and exploring with her best friend, but her happy life soon comes to an end. Her father dies, and Will is sent to a private school in London. Life in Zimbabwe was wild, but she is not prepared for the lessons, rules, and other girls at the school. They call her a savage, and Will doesn't know how to adapt. Her spirit is challenged, and she doesn't know what to do in order to survive.

The author did a wonderful job of developing Will's character. I was able to connect with her emotions and appreciated her frustrations. She was a little wild, but she was a good person. The death of her father was sad, but the way she was treated after his death was cruel. Students sometimes have trouble fitting in with new classmates, but it's nothing like the culture shock experienced by Will.