The struggle of three brothers to stay together after their parent's death and their quest for identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society.

"In these three novellas, Gary Paulsen explores how children can survive the most difficult circumstances through art and the love of dogs"--Provided by publisher.

On her eighteenth birthday, Cleo is given clues for a mysterious scavenger hunt that sends her around Columbus, Ohio, and through her past relationship with Declan, who drowned on a group rafting trip the previous year.

"Ever since Hartley Wright met Easton Royal, her life hasn't been the same. There are enemies behind every corner and dangers beyond each door. When tragedy strikes and steals her memories, she can't trust anyone, not even the blue-eyed boy who promises her that everything will be all right. Because while Hartley's memory is full of gaps, her instincts tell her Easton is dangerous. She doesn't know if he's the snake in the garden or her chance at...

A cocaine-addicted teenaged guitarist in a rock band falls dangerously in love with a fourteen-year-old prostitute.

"A teen girl hiding the scars of a past relationship finds home and healing in the words of strong Black writers. A beautiful sophomore novel from a critically acclaimed author and poet that explores how words have the power to shape and uplift our world even in the midst of pain. When Darius told Angel he loved her, she believed him. But five weeks after the incident, Angel finds herself in Brooklyn, far from her family, from him, and from the California...

A thief who steals priceless art and replaces it with his father's impeccable forgeries while targeting Mr. Black, the man responsible for his mother's death, Icarus Gallagher is torn between family loyalty, revenge, escape and Mr. Black's son--the boy he's come to love. "Icarus Gallagher is a thief. He steals priceless art and replaces it with his father's impeccable forgeries. For years, one man--the wealthy Mr. Black--has been their target in...

"The young girl tells us that her mom's new friend is just like the big bad wolf. At first the wolf is sweet and kind to her mom, though the girl notices the wolf's cold eyes from the very beginning. When her mom arrives home late one day, the wolf suddenly hurls angry words and terrible names at her. From that day on her mother doesn't smile anymore. The girl is careful to clean her room and brush her teeth and do everything to keep the peace, but...

Badly injured, fourteen-year-old Blade must continue to use his exceptional "street smarts" and waning strength to outsmart dangerous thugs while he considers surrendering to the police to face the consequences of a past he has tried to forget.

Finley, an unnaturally quiet boy who is the only white player on his high school's varsity basketball team, lives in a dismal Pennsylvania town that is ruled by the Irish mob, and when his coach asks him to mentor a troubled African American student who has transferred there from an elite private school in California, he finds that they have a lot in common in spite of their apparent differences.