"Roy Perkins struggles in high school and has three strikes agains him. He never knew his dad. His mom died in a meth-lab explosion. And his alcoholic uncle beats him. He is sent to live with a caring foster family. But the challenges continue"--Back cover.
Recently transitioned and starting a new school, Phoebe is taken under the wing of Mackenzie Ishikawa, the envy of all girls, who shows her the value of being true to herself instead of who everyone expects her to be.
When she suddenly gains access to the files for a lifetime of security-camera videos--her lifetime--Jane, who lives and goes to school in a Victorian mansion while her mother tours the country, discovers nothing is normal about her toxic family.
Eleven-year-old Lou wishes she could turn back time to mend her friendship with Francie after a terrible fight, so when Lou befriends Cece she is eager to prove herself. As she uncovers the truth about Cece's family, she grapples with what being a good friend means.
Sunny, the Defenders' best runner, only runs for his father, who blames Sunny for his mother's death, but with his coach's help Sunny finds a way to combine track and field with his true passion, dancing.
Told in alternating voices, determined to make a difference and heal from their troubled pasts, teens Ana and Leandro fight to protect California wildlife and the endangered puma.
From failed football tryouts to helping the new Syrian refugee student, seventh-grader Kareem attempts to navigate the social complexities of seventh grade, which are further complicated when his mother is unable to return home from Syria due to an executive order.
