In the aftermath of Dr. King's assassination in 1968, Chicago fourteen-year-old Maxie longs to join the Black Panthers, whether or not her brother Raheem, ex-boyfriend Sam, or her friends like it, and is soon caught up in the violence of anti-war and civil rights demonstrations.

"Jeremiah McKinley is the first of his enlisted brothers to return home to River Rock, Missouri--their sleepy but charming hometown in the Ozarks--in the wake of their father's death in combat. While he's grateful to be home with his sister nearby, his grief over losing the man known as Major Mack proves almost overwhelming, especially without his brothers around. After years of guilt and tireless effort, Mary Grace "Gray" Smith finally has her life...