In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

"Lenny follows Skye for a school project and learns about her life with two homes" --

"Show a little maturity," he said, which I've doped out to mean: Pass all your courses, avoid detection in all crimes and misdemeanors, don't get pregnant. Celine's father has left her with these instructions. She's not too worried about the last two, but she'll fail English unless she rewrites her Catcher in the Rye essay. And she keeps being interrupted, especially by Jake, the neighbor's boy, who's been dumped on her for the weekend.

Richard gets frustrated by most of Mr. Best's assignments, but this latest one is the worst. He has to write a composition about a proverb that illustrates something that has happened in his life. And, as if that isn't bad enough, Mr. Best has told him he needs to find his "writing voice." While working on the assignment, Richard finds his voice in more ways than one. He discovers that being himself makes a big difference in his writing and in his...

Amelia's world came crashing down when her parents separated and she was forced to relocate with her mother to a new part of town. But when Duke and Gabriella move into the suite downstairs with their menagerie of exotic animals, Amelia feels like she's been thrown a lifeline. Helping care for the animals gives Amelia a sense of purpose, and she's determined to keep Duke and Gabriella's secret. But eventually her mother discovers the animals and refuses...

After her father moves away, Laurie sends her love by mail The scariest thing Laurie has ever seen is a half-empty house, which she discovered the day her dad moved away. The divorce was a long time coming, but that didn't make it hurt any less. To stay in touch with her father, Laurie's mom forces her to write him a letter each week, keeping him updated on everything from quizzes and tests to parties and boys. At first, the letters are a chore, a...

Third-grader Max pursues neighborhood adventures with his dad as they both adjust to recent changes in their family.

Jeff's mother, who deserted the family years before, reenters his life and widens the gap between Jeff and his father, a gap that only truth, love, and friendship can heal.