Sam Toplin is a quiet loaner whose mother has moved him into a new town one too many times. Eddie Drucker, Sam's new downstairs neighbor is the undisputed neighborhood leader with the charismatic personality and criminal mind. The two boys could not be more different but as they come-of-age on the tough streets of their Queens neighborhood, their differences pale against the close friendship they have forged. As the two friends navigate the obstacle-filled path from childhood to young adult, the bonds of their brotherhood will be tested time and again. "This Side of the Street" is a universal coming-of-age tale that will engage the imagination of any reader that once was a kid and capture the heart of anyone that ever grew up with a best friend.