Paper Things

"Paper Things" tells the poignant story of Ari, an eleven-year-old girl, who, after her mother's death, is determined to honor two final wishes: always stay with her older brother, Gage, and get into a prestigious middle school for gifted students. When Gage, 19, decides to leave their guardian, Ari chooses to go with him, leading them into a precarious life of "couch surfing" and occasional nights in juvenile shelters. The book sensitively explores the challenges of hidden homelessness, the strain on sibling relationships, and Ari's struggle to maintain her studies and friendships while keeping their secret. It offers a nuanced look at resilience, family loyalty, and the quiet bravery required to navigate difficult circumstances.

When Ari's mother died four years ago, she had two final wishes: that Ari and her older brother, Gage, would stay together always, and that Ari would go to Carter, the middle school for gifted students. So when nineteen-year-old Gage decides he can no longer live with their bossy guardian, Janna, Ari knows she has to go with him. But it's been two months, and Gage still hasn't found them an apartment. He and Ari have been "couch surfing," staying with Gage's friend in a tiny apartment, crashing with Gage's girlfriend and two roommates, and if necessary, sneaking into a juvenile shelter to escape the cold Maine nights. But all of this jumping around makes it hard for Ari to keep up with her schoolwork, never mind her friendships, and getting into Carter starts to seem impossible. Will Ari be forced to break one of her promises to Mama? Told in an open, authentic voice, this nuanced story of hiding in plain sight may have readers thinking about homelessness in a whole new way. Nineteen-year-old Gage can no longer live with a bossy guardian and runs off with his sister, Ari. The two struggle to find a place to live and, as they promised their mother, to get Ari into the school for gifted students.