Taking readers through the minds of girls trying to define themselves while struggling to remain relevant to the boys in their lives, this Coretta Scott King Honor book offers a complex, always on-point exposition of black youth resolving to find self-worth.

"Joel's new job at the video store is just what the therapist ordered. But what happens if the first true friend he's made in years finds out about What Was Wrong With Him? Seventeen-year-old Joel Teague has a new prescription from his therapist--a part-time job--the first step toward the elusive Normal life he's been so desperate to live ever since The Bad Thing happened. Lucky for Joel, ROYO Video is hiring. It's the perfect fresh start--Joel even...

Isabella and Carlos live in St. Louis, Missouri--and are totally in love. They are 18 and finishing their senior year of high school when they decide to have a baby and get married. Carlos joins the military to support his new family. But when tragedy strikes, Isabella is left completely devastated and forced to raise her child alone. A year later, she is reunited with Pete, a boy she knew in high school. For a while, she thinks she's found a second...

Fifteen-year-old Aleecia can't believe it when Kyle, the 18-year-old captain of the football team, falls for her. She would do anything to keep him as her own, even have sex without protection. When she gets pregnant, she tells Kyle, and he stands by her--at least for a while. But Kyle's troubled family life intrudes on their bliss. Being a pregnant teenager turns out to be a lot harder than Aleecia ever imagined. Will their love weather Kyle's move...