"In the tradition of the classic Up The Down Staircase comes an unforgettable book about a year inside a troubled New York City school. In a fit of idealism, Ed Boland left a twenty-year career as a non-profit executive to teach in a tough New York City public high school. But his hopes quickly collided headlong with the appalling reality of his students' lives and a hobbled education system unable to help them: Jay runs a drug ring for his incarcerated brother; Nee-cole is homeschooled on the subway by her brilliant homeless mother; and Byron's Ivy League dream is dashed because he is undocumented. In the end, Boland isn't hoisted on his students' shoulders and no one passes AP anything. This is no urban fairy tale of at-risk kids saved by a Hollywood hero, but a searing indictment of reform-minded schools that claim to be progressive but still fail their students. Told with compassion, humor, and a keen eye, Boland's story will resonate deeply with anyone who cares about the future of education. "--

Pierre Dulane is a former professional ballroom dancer who volunteers to teach dance in the New York public school system. At first his background clashes with his students' tastes, but together Dulane and his students create a completely new style of dance.

The story of two teenage boys living in Brooklyn at the time of the Normandy invasion in 1944 who become best friends despite huge differences in their upbringing. Danny is the son of an orthodox Hasidic Rabbi brought up to accept faith blindly. Reuven comes from a progressive Jewish family whose secular scholar father stands at the forefront of the battle for Israeli statehood. Danny's every moment is devoted to religious study, while Reuven plays jazz piano and is intensely interested in the changing world around him. Their family differences soon force both to make difficult choices.