Thirteen-year-old Genesis tries again and again to lighten her black skin, thinking it is the root of her family's troubles, before discovering reasons to love herself as is.

Raised by his grandparents, first in Mississippi then in Wisconsin, ten-year-old Lymon moves to Chicago in 1945 to live with the mother he never knew, while yearning for his father.

When a dive off the coast of Alabama goes horribly wrong, twelve-year-old Julie and one of her father's scuba clients struggle to survive after reaching an abandoned oil rig.

Committed to a mental hospital against her will for something she claims she did not do, Cassie O'Malley signs herself out against medical advice when she turns eighteen and tries to start over at college, until her estranged mother appears, throwing everything Cassie believes about herself into question.

Told from their separate viewpoints, popular Trevor--who suffered traumatic brain injury in a drunk driving accident--and his assigned tutor Everly--a pastor's beautiful daughter who's hiding a devastating family secret--not only begin to redefine themselves, they find common ground and even love.

On the eve of her thirteenth birthday, Kerka returns to the magical land of Aventurine, where she is sent on a seemingly impossible mission that she hopes will bring back the closeness she had with her sisters before their mother's death.

When she agrees to meet with Jasmine as a peer counselor at their middle school, Antonia never dreams that this girl with the black lipstick and pierced eyebrow will end up helping her deal with the serious problems she faces at home and become a good friend.

A sad and silent nine-year-old boy finds his voice when he moves next to a family that rescues dogs.

A powerful new novel from the award-winning author of When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. Isabel's mother died peacefully. At least that's what Isabel likes to think since no one will talk about the truth. But the truth, has a way of revealing itself at night. Ta`Ta sleeps curled up on the floor right where Mama's body was found. Olivia wets her bed and wakes repeatedly from nightmares, and Frank starts carving his anger into his bedroom wall. It's...

Five urban middle school students, their teacher, and other community members relate how a school project to build the world's largest tetrahedron affects the lives of everyone involved.