Colorado Parks & Wildlife Research Library

"Twin sisters Elena and Marianella couldn't be more different. Marianella goes out of her way to actively participate in their Puerto Rican culture, whereas Elena is embarrassed by their traditions. Marianella is also fighting a very private battle with mental illness, and takes her own life not long after their fifteenth birthday. As Elena mourns her sister, she tries to live her life without the limitations and rules Marianella set for her. When...

Lacey 'Lace' Stewart knows who she is. She's the star of her high school's lacrosse team, she's confident and brash, and she doesn't seem to worry about what other people think. Lace tries hard in school, works weekends at a coffee shop, and is counting on a lacrosse scholarship for college. She's got it all figured out. At least that's what she shows everyone at school. But underneath her brave face, she's battling deep-seated anxiety, and she's...

Lucas wants to speak out against the injustices he sees at his school, but he's paralyzed by social anxiety. He decides to start an anonymous online video channel, disguise his face and voice, and expose the things no one dares to talk about. But when Lucas blames the student council president for harming another student, her powerful parents become involved to unmask the social crusader. Afraid to lose the ground he gained with the videos, but even...

"Edgar wants nothing more than to live his life out loud. But telling the truth about his sexuality isn’t so easy in his traditional Mexican-American family, and his Amá has made it clear she won’t accept who he is. Things get even harder when Edgar’s macho father returns home after months away, and the house erupts into fighting and simmering tension. Edgar worries what would happen if he told his father the truth about who he is, and feels...