Soon after the arrival of cousin Julia, insidious occurrences begin that convince Rachel she is a witch and must be stopped before her total monstrous plan can be effected.

Eleven-year-old tomboy Lucy feels betrayed by everyone when a bobcat stalks the neighborhod, her best friend Mora suddenly becomes boy-crazy about Lucy's best friend, and the town considers selling the soccer field where she plays.

In an America that has suffered continual terrorist attacks since 9/11, seventh-grader Sky stands up for what is right and helps a classmate of Middle Eastern descent, although doing so places her and her family at great risk.

Now that school's out, Lucy has plans for a perfect summer: going to soccer camp with her friends. Lucy even makes the select team! It should be fun, but between sticking up for her friends, standing up to a team bully, and keeping up with her reading lessons. Lucy's about to scream. Her dad's under pressures too--he has to get more training or lose his job, and that means spending six weeks in Albuquerque. What happened to that perfect summer?

Seventeen-year-old Pancho is bent on avenging the senseless death of his sister, but after he meets D.Q., who is dying of cancer, and Marisol, one of D.Q.'s caregivers, both boys find their lives changed by their interactions.

Twelve-year-old Andy Greenwood and fellow students at the Reclamation School for Boys in the New Mexico desert face an infestation of giant, mutant ants.