When six students are chosen to participate in a weekly talk with no adults allowed, they discover that when they're together, it's safe to share the hopes and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world.

Thirteen-year-old Genesis tries again and again to lighten her black skin, thinking it is the root of her family's troubles, before discovering reasons to love herself as is.

After emigrating from China, ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel, despite the nasty owner, Mr. Yao, who exploits them, while she works the front desk and tries to cope with fitting in at her school.

In 1971, twelve-year-old Lucy Rossi's dad returns from Vietnam after losing part of his arm, and her whole family must learn to adjust to a new dynamic, but Lucy's friend Milo unknowingly helps her navigate through this difficult time of fear and uncertainty to realize she is much tougher than she thought.

When Lauren begins stealing to raise money for autistic kids, like her brother, who don't have her family's resources, she convinces Sierra, a foster child, to help with the Robin Hood scheme, in a story told half in prose and half in verse.

Cordelia Jensen

• Biography
• Book Website
• Website

Laurie Morrison

Believed to possess mythical powers as the youngest member of her doglike dairne pack, Byx fears she has become the last of her species when her family is hunted to near-extinction, forcing her to band together with a ragtag group of animals and humans who help put into motion events that could trigger war throughout their kingdom.

When a dive off the coast of Alabama goes horribly wrong, twelve-year-old Julie and one of her father's scuba clients struggle to survive after reaching an abandoned oil rig.

Strictly following the rules to pursue her junior-high ambitions, 12-year-old Shayla is forced to choose between her education and her identity when her sister joins the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of a powerful protest.

Spencer volunteers at the library. Sure, it's community service, but he likes his work. Especially if it means getting to see Mallory. Mallory spends a lot of time keeping her head down. When you're sixteen and homeless, nothing matters more than being anonymous. But Spencer's charm makes her want to be noticed. But after a tragic death at the library, ghostly voices and messages begin to appear. Spencer and Mallory know a homeless teenager makes an easy target, and their safe haven may not be as safe as they thought.

Best friends Toby and Luke are bound together by the goal of leaving their hometown and family problems behind, but a series of choices each makes during their senior year threatens their bright future plans.