When Mrs. D. went from being an elementary school teacher to a high school counselor, she found herself in a whole new world.

The teenagers she dealt with often felt alone, misunderstood, and shunned. Some were suicidal.

She wrote this book to show adolescents going through tough times that they are not alone-and to also help parents, guardians, and teachers understand what high school students confront on a daily basis.

Part one features the stories of sixty students that explore a variety of topics. Some of the stories were written during peaceful times; asterisks denote that a story was written during a time of crisis.

After each story, readers get the chance to draw what they're feeling and are invited to write journal entries to delve even deeper into what they're thinking.

Part two encourages readers to engage in further self-reflection with additional writing exercises, and part three contains poetry and prose that encourages students, parents/guardians, and educators to do the best they can during difficult times.

Whether you're a parent/adult, educator or teenager, you'll have a much easier time making sense of high school with this candid and inspiring collection of reflections.