After the death of his little sister, Marc's life begins to fall apart--his parents divorce, his mother comes under the influence of a pushy insurance agent, and Marc is sent to a camp for socially maladjusted youths.

"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"--

"Bobby, who is bullied by the kids at school for living in a home with a front yard that is filled with garbage, meets a young artist who teaches him to see himself as more than "Junk Boy.""--

When thirteen-year-old Lisa's retarded five-year-old brother starts becoming more independent and growing away from her, and she finds herself disagreeing with an ultra-feminist friend, she begins a game of make-believe with a new boy at school which initially defends them both from life's hurts, but ultimately prevents them from dealing with real life.

In a small Alabama town, high school seniors Asa and Ezmita, both with troubled families and dreams of leaving home to attend college, find comfort in their blossoming friendship.

"A newbie to the track team, Patina "Patty" Jones must learn to rely on her family and teammates as she tries to outrun her personal demons"--

Despondent after her mother and sister leave their family, Wren Plumley befriends Wilder, a sickly housebound teen who moves in next door, and must confront the reasons behind her mother and sister's desertions.

Thirteen-year-old Toby, a prematurely gray-haired Pittsburgh Pirates fan and baseball card collector, tries to cope with his brother's drug use, his father's absence, and his mother dating Stanley the Food King.

Sixteen-year-old Emilie, stuck in a cosmic Groundhog/Valentine's Day nightmare where she discovers her family is splitting up and her boyfriend is cheating on her, decides to embark upon The Day of No Consequences, but when her repetitive day suddenly ends, she must face the consequences of her actions.

While confined to a mental hospital, thirteen-year-old Callie slowly comes to understand some of the reasons behind her self-mutilation, and gradually starts to get better.