With insight and a light touch, best-selling, Newbery Honor-winning author Gary D. Schmidt tells two poignant, linked stories: that of a grieving girl and a boy trying to escape his violent past. Following the death of her closest friend in summer 1968, Meryl Lee Kowalski goes off to St. Elene's Preparatory Academy for Girls, where she struggles to navigate the venerable boarding school's traditions and a social structure heavily weighted toward students...

A tiny paper bird shares a home with humans in this wondrously illustrated debut, introducing a sensitive, creative soul who ventures into the belly of the beast to rescue a new friend.

"Little Brown is grumpy and lonely at the dog park, until he decides to take matters into his own hands."--

A giant turtle's loneliness ends when a boatload of animals is shipwrecked and makes a temporary home on his shell. But when they decide to sail for home, will the turtle be alone once more?

Hedgehog wakes up needing a hug, but has trouble finding a friend who will get so close to his prickles.

Zoo girl has no family, and in the children's home, she feels lost and alone. On a trip to the zoo, she is accidentally left behind, but the animals love her. When she's discovered by the zoo keepers snuggled in a cage with the tigers then brought back to the orphanage, she doesn't want to go.

Flame is a magic kitten who uses his spells wherever they are needed most. Can Flame help Lorna feel less lonely while she's visiting her cousins this summer?

"A funny, noisy parrot comes into Jack's world and brings him closer to his dad in an unexpected and moving way"--

After finding a hamster that has been left behind in his taxi, a lonely immigrant cab driver celebrates Hanukkah with the little creature, while waiting to learn if the owner will return.