The book Slog's Dad by David Almond is a sad story about a young boy named Slog and how he watches his dad fall because of smoking. The story is told by Slog's friend, Davie, perspective. Slog loves his dad and is hurt by all the events that happen because his dad decides to smoke his life away. Davie tries to help Slog heal and make him realize that his dad is not in a nice place. Slog still has hope that his dad is going to stop smoking and be the old dad he used to be. Until, the day come that Slog's dad dies.
The book The Very Little Princess: Rose's Story by Marion Dane Bauer, is a children's book about a girl named Rose who feels like she doesn't fit in. Girls in her class roll their eyes and make Rose feel less. Rose doesn't like it when the attention is on her and she'd rather not be noticed by anyone. But, on a simple day she finds a tiny doll in the attic and she gains an interest in the doll. When she shows her mom, her mom doesn't want Rose having the doll, because she doesn't trust her with it, since the doll is a china doll, and Rose is very clumsy.
The story, All the Earth Thrown to the Sky by Joe R. Lansdale, takes place in the 1930's when dust-storms and The Great Depression were major threats to society. Jack Catcher is the main character. His mother dies because dust filled her lungs and causes a dirty pneumonia. On the same day, Jack leaves the hospital after the death of his mother, and he finds his father has committed suicide. Alone with nowhere to go he stays home; one day a girl named Jane and her brother Tyler visit Jack. They came up with a plan to steal a dead neighbor's car and leave Oklahoma.
