Pieces of Me by Darlene Ryan

Maddie is living on the streets when she meets Q, a young man in a similar situation.  When a desperate mother leaves her young child with the two of them, Maddie and Q are suddenly a family.  Maddie sees her dreams of finishing school moving further away; as she tries to adjust, Q focuses on becoming a provider.  How will these changes impact their relationship and their shared quest for shelter? Orca delivers characters students can care about, even if they can’t relate to the nondescript setting.  Reading specialists may want to know about this title for working with students who are developing confidence reading chapter books for its simple language, straightforward structure, and emotionally sophisticated protagonist. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Ryan, Darlene.  Pieces of Me.  Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2012.  Print.

Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets, One Helping Hand at a Time by Carissa Phelps

When Carissa Phelps was just twelve years old, she was kidnapped by a pimp. This is the introduction she gives herself, later on, each time she finds herself telling her story to a new group of people. Carissa, who is now an attorney and a youth advocate, has written down her story in this memoir and it’s an inspirational ride. Her teen years were turbulent; she spent most of them running from one dangerous situation to the next. Placed in group home after group home, spending time in juvenile hall and alternative school programs, the author reflects often on the adults she met along the way who believed in her and gave her courage. Students might relate to her history of emotional and sexual abuse, but they will absolutely be able to connect with her time spent in and out of group homes and juvenile hall. I am often asked by students for books about “real people who had it rough, but made it out in the end,” and this book fits that description perfectly. Carissa’s story demonstrates that anything is possible with the support of a few caring individuals and a lot of determination. --Anja Kennedy

Phelps, Carissa, with Larkin Warren.  Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets, One Helping Hand at a Time.  New York: Viking-Penguin, 2012.  Print.

Almost Home by Jessica Blank

Elly is twelve and too terrified to tell anyone that her step-brother rapes her almost every night.  After her peers mercilessly bully her and assault her one day after school, she is rescued by a mysterious teen who teaches her how to dumpster dive and sleep on pavement.  Elly crosses paths with similarly traumatized and presently homeless teens and Blank’s narrative switches narrators each time a new chapter begins.  This gritty young adult novel, set in L.A., will be too much for some, and all too familiar for others.  Almost Home can be viewed as a cautionary tale that ultimately conveys that leaving danger does not always mean finding safety.   School librarians will want to be aware that this unblinking depiction of teen homelessness includes sexual exploitation, rape, and drug abuse.  Recommended for independent reading for older teens. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Blank, Jessica.  Almost Home.  New York: Hyperion, 2007. Print.

Hyperion has published a discussion guide authored by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer which includes discussion questions, project ideas, and a short interview with the author.  Access it here.

Can’t Get There from Here by Todd Strasser

The New York City streets that Maybe and her tribe of homeless teens have called home for months are growing colder and more desolate with each passing day.  As the winter wears on and intensifies, the group struggles to survive, spending their days and nights in ever-more-desperate searches for shelter and food.  For Maybe, life on the streets is a better option than going home, but trust is hard to come by.  She learned a long time ago that adults lie and cheat and generally want something in return for any small kindness.  As the temperature drops and her friends begin to disappear, can Maybe learn to trust in time to save herself?

Written in Maybe’s humble voice, the narrative is fairly straightforward and easy to follow.  However, it is interspersed with short biographical sketches that may prove a bit confusing at first.  While the situations and events portrayed are uncomfortable and ugly, the language is not, making this book suitable for sensitive middle grade readers and classroom use. --Regan Schwartz

Strasser, Todd. Can’t Get There From Here. New York: Simon Pulse, 2004. Print.