This is a collection of stories about young people who prevail against the odds. Sam’s parents ban him from using the Internet, forcing him to get out of the house and “surf” reality. Tracy’s parents are old hippies, yet all she wants is to make enough money to have a nice apartment, leather furniture, and a little red car. Annie is stranded in her parents’ remote cabin and must decide for herself whether to accept rescue from a handsome stranger on horseback. And Jeremy finds himself cleaning chickens in a country village. The kids in these stories draw on their considerable inner resources to survive and adapt, no matter how rocky their journeys. To each of these tales, Valgardson brings his characteristic wit and originality. The characters’ triumphs are sometimes small (being there for a friend), other times great (discovering it’s better to be alive than dead, even if your parents aren’t perfect), and instantly recognizable and engaging to today’s teens. “Strong, central characters that grow and are easy to identify with characterize these short stories.” — School Library Journal