TEAR-JERKER ALERT! Settle in next to a box of tissues for this read, because there's no way you're finishing this story without balling your eyes out.
Ruby's skipped around a lot after her father made some bad (as in illegal) choices and she and her mother try to outrun his notoriety. Her latest attempt lands them close to her aunt, her mother's sister, in a new school, new job, new state, new everything.
Ruby just wants to disappear on her first day at school but fellow student and Syrian immigrant Ahmad Saleem bonds with her over their astronaut research project. She even makes reluctant friends with the "Bird Lady" down the hill from her rented home.
But when things appear to be going well, her mother is arrested, the Bird Lady is accused of murdering her own family many years ago, and everything starts spiraling out of control again.
Can Ruby make things right? She learns the Bird Lady is connected to her space project (I won't say how! No spoilers!) and Ahmad proves his mettle as both her friend and champion.
