Thirteen-year-old Brian and his best friend Ezra navigate the challenges and complexities of middle school, as Brian struggles to cope with his emotions and Ezra attempts to balance his loyalty to his best friend with a newfound friendship.

"Elise's best friend and her sympathetic teachers offer what help they can, but there's only so much they can do. Elise's situation suddenly turns dangerous when her mother invites a fellow addict into their lives. Elise has to find a better path for herself--to get to college, pay for her education, and deal with her mother's lifestyle"--

"When their father went to prison last year for embezzlement, twins Alex and Olly Brucke lost everything: their house, their college funds, most of their friends, and even their mother, who's so focused on making ends meet that she's never around anymore. The only thing they can count on lately is each other. But after their father dies unexpectedly in prison, the twins start to fracture. Alex is spiraling, skipping classes to spend all of her time...