Lyons Regional Library

Three children from other countries (Somalia, Guatemala, and Korea) struggle to adjust to their new home and school in the United States.

"Eleven-year-old Jacques, who must contend with difficult family dynamics and pressure from an older boy to help him commit a crime, is surprised to discover that he has much in common with Kiki, one of the many new Somali refugees who have immigrated to his Maine town"--

"Sadiq's class is visiting the pond on a nature field trip, but the dead fish they find there is disturbing; when he finds that the likely cause is pollution, he and a group of his classmates form the Clean Water Crew to do what they can to help clean up not just their pond, but other bodies of water as well"--

Eighth-grader Somali American Nimo Mohamed is the youngest runner on the varsity cross-country team, but she is determined to keep up with the older girls, so she has set herself a grueling training schedule; too grueling because her body is exhausted, her grades at school are slipping, and her father, who is still very much in her life despite the divorce, is starting the pressure her to quit the team.