1960's. Maisie's first day of high school should be exciting, but all she wants is to escape the world: an abusive mother and a father who is rarely there to help. Finding refuge in her art, Maisie meets Rachel and her mother, a painter. She catches a glimpse of a very different world-- full of life, creativity, and love-- and latches on. But as she discovers her strengths through Rachel's family, Maisie finds herself risking new friendships, and...

Nine Black students were chosen to integrate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957. The Little Rock Nine endured what followed not only as a group but also as individuals. At fourteen years old, Carlotta Walls was the youngest member of the brave group. As angry mobs protested, the students were escorted in the high school by members of the 101st Airborne Division, which had been called in by then-president Dwight D. Eisenhower to ensure...

In 1957, Sylvia Patterson's life--that of a normal African American teenager--is disrupted by the impending integration of Little Rock's Central High when she is selected to be one of the first black students to attend the previously all white school. Includes author's note and related websites.

"It's 1992 in Bleak Creek, North Carolina, a sleepy little place with all the trappings of an ordinary Southern town: two Baptist churches, friendly smiles coupled with silent judgments, and an unquenchable appetite for pork products. Beneath the town's cheerful façade, however, Bleak Creek teens live in constant fear of being sent to The Whitewood School, a local reformatory with a record of putting unruly teens back on the straight and narrow--a...

It's 1953 and the Cold War is on. Communism threatens all that the United States stands for, and America needs every patriot to do their part. So when a Russian boarder moves into the home of twelve-year-old Jake McCauley, he's on high alert. What does the mysterious Mr. Shubin do with all that photography equipment? And why did he choose to live so close to the Air Force base? Jake's mother says that Mr. Shubin knew Jake's dad, who went missing in...