MacLean, Jill

Told in verse, quiet Nix is the polar opposite of his older sister Roxy, Nix feels powerless to protect Roxy from the toxic guy she is interested in, but finds he can protect Twig, a neglected dog.

When sixth-grader Sigrid Sugden tries to overcome her bad-girl image, she is faced with retribution from her former accomplices.

Fifteen-year-old Nix Humbolt both loathes and adores his older sister, Roxy. He loves her vibrancy, but hates her choices, especially her latest one--going after scumbag Bryan Sykes. She won't listen to him, and that seems like the end of the matter. Needing to fight a battle he can win--besides ones on his video games--Nix decides to rescue Twig, a neglected dog.

Prinny, struggling to deal with her alcoholic mother, distracted father, a best friend with a new girlfriend, schoolyard bullies, and remedial reading lessons with the dour Mrs. Dooks, gets a reprieve when a substitute teacher introduces her to poetry.

Shortly after moving to a dreary coastal town in Newfoundland with his father, Travis Keating finds a colony of abandoned cats and decides to care for them himself. Travis soon realizes what a big job caring for the cats is, and hopes someone will help him in his task.