In Trinitoga: Stories of Life in a Roughed-Up, Tough-Love, No-Good Hood, a novel-in-stories by middle school authors in Washington, DC, the fictionalized neighborhood of Trinitoga is populated with an endearing and heartbreaking cast of characters, not unlike the people these authors have encountered in their own lives. We begin with "Shoota," the gun-wielding "King of the Hood" whose transformation we witness from a sweet and trusting 8-year-old boy to a hardened angry man deserving of his nickname. We meet the mother of his children, Baquisha, who cares about her kids and tells them to do the right thing, but then can't set a good example herself. We meet their kids—Rude Boy, Rude Girl, and Tianna—all of whom struggle between love, disappointment, anger, and hope in their relationships with their parents and with each other. We meet grandmothers who do right by their grandkids and friends who stick up for each other, and characters of all ages determined to do better: for their loved ones and for themselves. The result is an action-packed and emotionally charged exploration of what it means to grow up in a place like Trinitoga, told from the perspective of highly astute young observers.

This book is powerful. The characters are complex. The conflicts are recognizable and searingly raw. Although these characters face daily stress and trauma that take their toll, they all long desperately for something better. That yearning is what breaks your heart, gives you hope, and keeps you turning the page.

Shout Mouse Press, in collaboration with the Shootback Project, was honored to work with the young writers of Beacon House, a community-based organization in Washington, DC that aims to lift as many children as possible up and out of their often difficult circumstances. Learn more about the collaboration at ShoutMousePress.org.