Piper's life is turned upside down when her family moves into a shelter in a whole new city. She misses her house, her friends, and her privacy--and she hates being labeled the homeless girl at her new school. But while Hope House offers her new challenges, it also brings new friendships, like the girls in Firefly Girls Troop 423 and a sweet street dog named Baby. So when Baby's person goes missing, Piper knows she has to help. But helping means finding...

Sixth-grader Sugar and her mother lose their beloved house and experience the harsh world of homelessness.

On a bike outing to the abandoned houses by the old cement mill, Delsie and her friend Todd discover one of the houses is not empty--and a ghost dog haunts the area.

Despite living in separate shelters, a little girl and her parents find time to be together, demonstrating that even in the most trying of times they are still a loving and committed family.

Told in multiple voices, seventh-grader Libby sets off a chain of events that brings hope and encouragement to four different individuals across the country who are dealing with bullies, acceptance, homelessness, and grief.

"In these three novellas, Gary Paulsen explores how children can survive the most difficult circumstances through art and the love of dogs"--Provided by publisher.

It's been years since Manny was cast out of his family and driven into the wilderness of the American Southwest. Since then, Manny lives by self-taught rules that keep him moving-and keep him alive. Now, he's taking chance on a traveling situation with the Varela family, whose attractive but surly son, Carlos seems to promise a new future.

Told through a collection of letters, meeting notes, news articles and court transcripts, this unflinching story follows 15-year-old homeless teen Ruby, who is accused of murdering a wealthy businessman and must make desperate choices to prove her innocence with the help of her state-appointed caseworker.

Living in the family car in their small North Carolina town after their father leaves them virtually penniless, Georgina, desperate to improve their situation and unwilling to accept her overworked mother's calls for patience, persuades her younger brother to help her in an elaborate scheme to get money by stealing a dog and then claiming the reward that the owners are bound to offer.

When authorities threaten to take Sophie, twelve, from Charles who has been her guardian since she was one and both survived a shipwreck, the pair goes to Paris to try to find Sophie's mother, and they are aided by Matteo and his band of "rooftoppers."