An engaging and provocative collection of stories for the young adult reader that captures the angst of transitioning into a teenager. This book is about family secrets, puberty, life/death, responsibilities, peer pressure and the importance of accepting others without prejudice. Kemp poignantly captures the voice of his youth in a way that also relates to young people today. This intertwined collection of stories weave aspects of universal truths into the cultural framework of growing up in an African American family. This is a great resource for parents and youths to read together as a guide or for talking points in facing the awkward challenges of puberty. (Note: Subject matter and language may be considered mature for some readers.)