In 1990s Portland, Oregon, seventeen-year-old Iph, aided by George, a modern-day Robin Hood, seeks her sensitive fifteen-year-old brother, Orr, while Orr has escaped wilderness boot camp and is residing with The Furies, an all-girl punk band.
It seems that aspiring playwright Natalie and musician Reid have been in competition all their young lives, but when they are forced to compete for scarce school budget dollars they embark on an all-out prank war which backfires; now they are forced to cooperate, pool their talents and ambitions to produce a school musical--and not only is cooperation an unfamiliar role, but they are suddenly starting to have feelings for each other.
"At first, Jo and Rus don't realize how much they have in common--she's a middle schooler who's constantly bullied and he's a high schooler in a rock band. But when a mysterious one-eyed cat brings the two of them together, they quickly learn they're both outcasts trying to figure out what they really want from life in a world where the odds are stacked against them. It's only by becoming friends they discover who they are, who they want to be and what it takes for every one of us to find our own happiness!"--Back cover.
"Middle-schooler Louisa wants to spend the summer practicing violin for a place in the youth symphony, but is instead sent to the Tasmanian rainforest camp of her Australian relatives. There she learns that her family secretly protects the last of the supposedly extinct Tasmanian tigers. When an encroaching mining operation threatens the hidden sanctuary, Louisa realizes her music can help"-- Provided by publisher.
