"I wait at the top of the stairs outside our apartment. It's cold out here. But I hate being around Mom when she's drunk." Tenth grader Elgin Hobbs is caught in a downward spiral. He's failing classes, his divorced parents fight, and his mom is an alcoholic. Life keeps bringing him down. But he fights to rise above it. Lexile Readability Measure: HL-540-L. At Finding Forward Books, we publish easy-to-read novels about real issues faced by teens. They have realistic stories about teens overcoming challenges in their lives. Our goal is for students to improve their reading skills, increase their success in school, and develop positive attitudes. The books are for all students, including English learners and students with disabilities. They are printed in Open Dyslexic, a font to accommodate persons with dyslexia. They have been praised in Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly BookLife Reviews, Foreword Clarion Reviews, and BlueInk Reviews.