Paper Things, Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Ari, age 11, and Gage, her brother, age 19, are on their own and homeless. Being orphans, the home they had with Janna is not working for Gage and he insists he can take care of his younger sister on his own. Shuffling from couch to couch, floor to floor, or when necessity calls, the homeless shelter, they trudge with their few belongings from place to place. Lack of food, wrinkled clothes, disheveled hair, and a hungry stomach get to be too much for Ari to hide from her best friend, Sasha, and others suspecting things are not going so well. Her comfort is her years of "paper things" she has cut from catalogs to make families and homes and comforts that she, herself, does not have.

Reggie and his dog, Amelia who make their home in a rented storage unit, offers them a night of respite and he makes Ari a paper airplane using a Jiffy Lube advertisement. Coincidentally Gage lands his first job at Jiffy Lube . . . leading Ari to believe his planes make wishes come true. With Sashi pulling away and making new friends, Ari finds a new friend in Daniel, the weird kid with a bucket list of things to do before moving on from Eastland Elementary.

With the growing concern of more and more students living in poverty and without homes, this is such a story and how well some students can hide their situation. It gives us a glimpse into the life of one girl trying to remain true to her home with her brother doing his best and the one with Janna that may not include Gage.

Death by Toilet Paper, Donna Gephart. Benjamin has a flair for jingles and slogans so much that he often wins contests for free stuff, like toilet paper. His dad died and his mom puts in extra hours to make ends meet. However, rent is due and time is running out. Mr. Katz, the landlord, can no longer delay their eviction, Zeyde, his grandfather, unexpectedly comes to stay, making his mother more strapped. Trying to help out, taking $50 he won from a contest, Benjamin begins selling candy bars at school, earning a couple hundred dollars, only to get in trouble with the principal. He is forced to work on the sly, only to have $300 stolen by Angus Andrews, his personal bully. Telling anyone will further his troubles. His last hope is to win the Royal-T Bathroom Tissue slogan contest prize money of $1500. With the help of his best friend, Toothpick, they have a plan to use Royal-T's toilet paper to dress him a zombie bride.

This is a cute story with facts about toilet paper leading each chapter. Benjamin is a character well worth getting to know.

Crenshaw, Katherine Applegate. Jackson and his family are struggling financially. He and his younger sister, Robin, play Cerealball to pass the time, which is accurately tossing Cheerios into a cap, or bowl before allowing themselves to eat it. Their father has multiple sclerosis and is unable to keep his construction and handy man jobs. Money is tight, things get sold and they have to move out of their home and into their minivan. His parents always see the brighter side of things, but Jackson wants to be treated like an adult and be told the honest truth. Crenshaw, his imaginary cat, comes around when Jackson seems to need him most; although, he likes things that can be explained and doesn't believe in imaginary friends.

This is a sweet and tender story about hope and family and looking forward. It's about growing up and staying young, wanting the facts, believing in the truth, and having a reliable friend with whom to share your feelings.  

Nightingale's Nest, Nikki Loftin. Little John's life is falling apart. His younger sister, Raelynn, died when falling from a tree. Money is tight and what little money dad earns with his tree removal business, is often drunk, away, and leaving no money for the rent. Little John's mom has not been the same since Raelynn's death and he gets no comfort from her. Gayle, the orphan living with the dysfunctional Cutlin family, has a voice that sings in harmony with the birds and heals hurts. Bruises, bumps and  busted limbs are healed with her singing and she is the only one that brings Little John comfort. Mr. King, the richest man in the county, offers to pay Little John $500 to bring Gayle to him so he can record her voice. He does and her voice leaves her. Little John refuses to take the money because of his betrayal, but his dad nabs the money, putting it away for the rent. Little John feels it wrong to keep the money so he takes it and gives it to Gayle, who uses it to fluff the nest she builds high up in a tree. Jeb Cutlin, their cunning neighbor, witnessed the transaction and steals the money from the nest. The eviction notice on the door brings more shame to Little John, as he was trusted to pay the rent. To earn the rent money, Little John must cut down the tree with the nest, that he promised Gayle he would never do in order to keep his family in their home.

This is lovely story about a young boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the girl with a voice that heals.

Every Day After, Laura Golden. Lizzie's father, after losing his job, is gone. Ben's father is dead. The two become fast friends at the height of the Great Depression. For Lizzie, her world shattered when her dad left, leaving only a note and a locket to replace him. Her mother, living within her own silence, is unable to help. Things go from bad to worse when her enemy, Erin Sawyer, envious because of Lizzie's top grades and friendship with Ben, sets out to destroy everything for her: pushing into her, stealing Ben's friendship, faking an apology so that Lizzie will not enter the writing contest, letting Dr. Heimler know that her mother is "not in her right mind," hoping that Lizzie will be put into an orphanage. When a letter is handed to Lizzie, delivering the news that they are now defunct on several mortgage payments, she begins to lose hope. With Ben and his mother moving away for the same reason, she wonders if it will ever stop raining despair on her life. Making some tough decisions, she learns to let go of what she needs to let go of and hang on to what she needs to hang on to.