An eloquent, dramatic story of an adolescent girl’s first glimpse into the problems of prejudice in her community and the redeeming power of friendships.

For thirteen-year-old Kate, being poor in a small rural Florida town means feeling ashamed and isolated. At school, her classmates laugh at her old clothes, and things are not much better at home. Kate’s mother is working long hours just to keep food on the table, and Kate has to keep an eye on her brothers.

But one day, the family’s goat gets loose and wanders down the road. That’s when Kate meets the Wilsons, a tight knit, middle-class African-American family. Kate is particularly drawn to Ruby, the glamorous grown daughter who has returned home from New York City. As Kate begins to spend time with Ruby in town, she becomes aware of the undercurrent of discrimination and prejudice that runs through her community and the complex roles of race and class in her own relationships.

Rosa Jordan offers readers a gripping, empathetic tale of how two families come together despite small town prejudices and cultural differences. In doing so, she provides a window into the larger problems in America, where class and race often divide people.

Justin struggles with conflicting choices and important decisions about family, loyalty, and responsibility as he decides what his path in life will be.

Justin Martin is almost fifteen, and up until now his life has seemed woefully predictable—barely getting by in school, taking the bus home to do his chores around their small farm, bickering with his younger brother and sister. His mom has to work nonstop to make ends meet.

Then when Justin becomes the first freshman to make the high school’s varsity baseball team, he’s convinced his problems are all behind him. All he needs now is a little money for a bicycle to ride home from baseball practice. To earn the money for the bike, Justin sells  Little Billy, one of the family’s beloved baby goats. But Justin’s siblings find out that the new owner is horribly mistreating Little Billy. Then, when a red sports car appears in the Martin’s driveway one afternoon, is it bringing emotional upheaval for the entire family, the tempting lure of adventure, or both?

Author Rosa Jordan’s memorable, well-drawn characters are woven together into a web of complex relationships marked by the challenges of figuring out what is right and wrong and the confusion of divided loyalties. The result is a richly textured portrait of small town life and a struggling family that will intrigue and satisfy readers.