National Network for Equitable Library Service

Cassandra Wilson's life isn't easy. She's spent most of her teen years taking care of her much younger brother Chris, working to help support her widowed mother, coping with high school and its pressures, and still grieving over the death of her beloved father. Her life begins to change once she learns that her mother has been lying to her about working overtime and taking Saturday courses because she's secretly dating a man whom Cassandra fears will try to take the place of her father. Cassandra, feeling betrayed, decides it's time she started to live a little, and the cast of characters she becomes involved with ultimately help her find out who she really is. Her new friends include Clara, trying to get guardianship of her younger sister after her own family life has fallen apart, and Danny, quiet but confident, who saves her from being attacked at a party by sleazy jock Tommy Fillmore (who continues to harass her). There's also Mr. Pratt, her guidance counsellor, determined to help Cass fulfill her dream of becoming an archaeologist; Frank, Clara's abusive 'stepfather'; and Grant, her mother's new boyfriend, who's maybe not as bad as she was worried he might be. After many suspenseful moments and revelations, Cass is celebrating her mom's engagement when she looks around at her new 'family' and realizes that she is finally feeling positive about the future for the first time.