There are ninety-six reasons why thirteen-year-old Genesis dislikes herself. She knows the exact number because she keeps a list:

-Because her family is always being put out of their house.

-Because her dad has a gambling problem. And maybe a drinking problem too.

-Because Genesis knows this is all her fault.

-Because she wasn’t born looking like Mama.

-Because she is too black.

In this compelling companion to New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound, Omar contends with being treated like a second-class citizen when he gets a scholarship to an elite boarding school.

Life is harsh in Chennai's teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts.