Description

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Sixteen-year-old Zaine Wyatt's mother walked out of his life when he was twelve, and he was kicked out of his aunt's house. After living on the streets and getting badly beaten up, he is back at his aunt's, but is angry and uncertain that he has a permanent place to live. When his mother breaks another promise to take him back, he flees and trashes a storage shed, injuring the owner as he runs away.

To try to get the charges dropped, Zaine agrees to participate in a restorative justice program. He has to fix the damage, help out the owner and his disabled grandson, while avoiding being recruited to a gang.

Distributed in the U.S by Lerner Publishing Group.

About the Author

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KAREN SPAFFORD-FITZ is an author and former junior high teacher. Her other SideStreets book Saving Grad was selected as one of The Year's Best by Resource Links. When researching Push Back, Karen relied on the expertise of a restorative justice facilitator who engages troubled youths in meaningful forms of justice and learning. When she is not speaking with students or writing, Karen is often training for her next half marathon. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta.