In the shadow of the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, eighth-graders and new neighbors Bird Mallon and Thomas Neary make some decisions about what they want to do with their lives.
Sixteen-year-old Phoebe cannot help but wonder if she will suffer chronic depression like her mother and her recently-deceased uncle, who shared her passion for rock-collecting, until the terrifying experience of being lost in a cave provides the answer.
The four eccentric Casson siblings each contribute written accounts of the events--which include a Valentine's Day dance, the appearance of a sinister balloon, and the breakdown of a car--that lead to Caddy's wedding day.
Seventh-grader Donald, living with his parents in New Jersey, is determined to master wrestling but discovers that to win at the sport he must learn to control his temper.
A fictional eleven-year-old Kansas girl chronicles the first six months of 1935, describing the sacrifices her family makes and the entertainments they still enjoy in the midst of the Depression, and the struggles of farm life during the Dust Bowl.
Teenager Harper Winslow gets his first job at the town's weekly newspaper. However, he soon finds himself reporting on his father's campaign for mayor and his sister's mysterious car accident.
Left alone when Rush, Mark, and Mona go away to boarding school, Randy and Oliver are lonely and bored until a mysterious letter brings the first of many clues to a mystery that takes all winter to solve.
Provides information for young people on how to deal with an illness in the family, discussing some of the emotions involved, and explaining the importance of self-care; and includes a list of helpful organizations.
Examines the role that food plays in the home and how the family affects self-image, and provides suggestions for healthy living to protect against eating disorders.
