Twelve-year-old Caity Jackson and her eleven-year-old sister, Cara, have always been close. They have to be.

 

By sticking together and staying out of their mother's way, they manage to make it to school most of the time, get meals prepared, and protect each other from their mother's terrifying verbal and physical attacks.

 

But when their mother storms off with a suitcase and doesn't return, the girls realize they can't cope on their own for long. Yet, as Caity comes to realize, there is a lot they can do to take control of their future.

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The girls live alone in this story for most of the summer. When they run out of food, they must ride their bikes more than fifty miles to try to get to their grandmother who lives in New Smyrna Beach. 

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This book won the Nebraska Golden Sower  Award

This book was featured in an article with Newbery Award-winner, Norma Fox Mazer

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