Abandoned by their father and living in poverty with their heartless stepmother in Louisiana, two sisters from the Philippines, twelve-year-old Sol and six-year-old Ming, learn the true meaning of family.

"Four sisters rely on each other--and a bit of mysterious magic--to cope with their mother's illness"--

Seventh-grader Zoey Albro focuses on caring for three younger siblings and avoiding rich classmates at school until her fascination with octopuses gets her on the debate team and she begins to speak out.

"Patina, "Patty" Jones is the fastest girl on the Defenders track team. A newbie to the track team, Patty must learn to rely on her family and teammates as she tries to outrun her problems. She runs to show the kids that taunt her at her fancy new school that she's going to be someone some day. She runs for her fellow newbie teammates to make them proud. She runs to show her little sister Maddy how to be strong and brave. And she runs for her mother,...