With her parents suffering in a failing marriage and Lisa's unhappy father becoming more abusive, Lisa must learn to cope. She withdraws and avoids contact with people by being shy and remaining on the sidelines, even as she enters school.
A new stepfather and a family move to Chicago put Lisa's life on a new path, but not out of jeopardy. New friends (not always being a good influence) and Lisa's growing need to be accepted bring her to the brink of disaster.
Lisa's struggles and decision-making bring the importance of family and friends to light. Readers will pull for Lisa to use self-control and overcome the peer pressure leading her into trouble. Readers will identify with Lisa, remembering their own experiences of balancing peer pressure with meeting their need to be accepted. Lisa finds friends and family who want to help, if only she would grab onto the lifeline thrown to her.
Set in Minnesota, Chicago, and Texas, each move brings a new phase and challenges for Lisa. Lisa finds that no matter where she is, she is always the key to finding the right path for herself on her journey to adulthood.