Jacqueline Woodson

Life in the hood is tough, especially for the Bailey brothers, who find themselves on their own after the deaths of their parents. As they struggle to hold their family together, the boys have to face the challenges of raising themselves. The series follows the trio through their hardships and triumphs, as they learn to face life's challenges and rewards, together on the mean streets of Harlem.

This is an extraordinarily moving novel -- one you will not easily forget. Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, it is the story of one family's struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence. It is a story of physical survival, but more important, it is a story of the survival of the human spirit. And, too, it is Cassie's story -- Cassie Logan, an independent girl raised by a family for whom independence is primary, a...