Eve is haunted by her dead cats, Willie is not content to turn a blind eye to suffering, and Maria carries on lengthy conversations with a silent caller. Theirs are the odd, but strangely realistic stories you will find in this collection. Avi's stories address real concerns in a way young people can relate to. Always entertaining, they broach difficult topics like divorce, teenage runaways, adolescent cruelty, and homelessness. Here even "bad" kids can make moral choices, and the behavior of adults is often bizarre and small-minded. Recipient of Newbery Honors and numerous other awards, Avi is recognized as one of the most innovative authors for young people today. These stories are just quirky and irreverent enough to appeal to finicky pre- to post-adolescent listeners. Already engaging, they take on new energy when performed by our talented narrators.