Describes the events that led to civil war in the West African republic of Liberia and the efforts of one Liberian family to emigrate to the United States and rebuild their lives in Houston, Texas.
Shayla Dubois, an aspiring writer growing up in a poor section of Houston, is mystified by the fantastic stories told to her by new neighbor Kambia Elaine, but she soon comes to realize that the girl is in trouble, yet she cannot get past the stories to the truth.
Christina, the Texas Twister hoping to be the first Mexican-American Junior Elite all-around champion at the American Invitational, is side-lined during practice when her vault routine ends with a sharp pain in her ankle.
Twelve-year-old Noelle Onesti has everything it takes to be an elite gymnast, as was her mother, except the money required to travel and compete since her family's store is not doing well and their house may be going into foreclosure.
When twelve-year-old Britt's family moves to Houston so she can train at an elite gym she looks forward to being part of a team, but after alienating the other girls and failing to impress her coaches, Britt begins to figure out what teamwork really means.
Examines life in an industrial city, describing the services and resources people need in a big city, and looking at Houston, Texas, as an example of an industrial city, discussing its population, districts, industrial area, and other topics.
While visiting Houston, Texas, Mike and Kate tour the Johnson Space Center with an astronaut in the morning and at the Houston Astros' ball game that evening, the cousins search for the person who steals the astronaut's moonrock when he arrives at the stadium to sign autographs.
