This book gives a counselor's insight into some of the difficulties that young people have in reaching adulthood. The author was a player in high school integration issues in the South from the beginning until the present. Her first experience was in a school where Whites were in the minority, while Blacks and American Indians formed an approximately equal majority. In her subsequent experience, the students consisted of a similar mix of Whites, Blacks and Latinos, all of whom were struggling to survive. The issues for both of these student bodies were so similar that it implies they may be universal. The issues included poverty, pregnancy, incest, racial integration, abuse, privatization of schools, busing and school consolidation. The author speaks in the language of the South. This reinforces the Allegory that drives many talented writers to generate the myths and fictional shadows until even Southerners believe them. This yields a particular emotional appeal. The author was spokesperson for the students, teachers, administrators, and parents.