Sixteen-year-old Mattie Rollins has it all figured out. She'll ace her advanced high school courses, earn a college scholarship, and create a new life for herself and her family. There's no time for distractions-no friends, no fun, and especially no boys. But Mattie's brilliant plan crumbles after first becoming homeless, forcing her family to live in the confines of their beat-up station wagon, Ruby, and then the mysterious disappearance of her mother. With life against her at every turn and fewer options every day, Mattie and her kid sister must learn how to live-not just survive-in their uncertain circumstances while racing to discover the truth behind their mother's disappearance. Mattie will have to find the strength to keep searching for her mother and to keep her dreams alive before they both slip away forever.
"This story really illustrates how fast things can fall apart, how close all of us are to total vulnerability, how much we should all be grateful for the support of our friends and family, because without them this truly is a cruel world. Bouncing back between a high school romance and the terrifying reality of homelessness is a tense, a thrilling roller coaster ride of despair and hope. The dicho
Estelle Laure
"I finished this book in an afternoon! There was no leaving Mattie Rollins in the midst of her quest for safety and no reading the novel without falling in love with her. Sleeping In My Jeans captures the innocent, insightful lyricism of adolescence. Through Mattie's voice, Leonard is able to tell a story that neither sensationalizes nor minimizes the challenges faced by homeless families. Definit
Karelia Stetz-Waters
"Ms. Leonard has provided us with page after page of unforgettable characters and a sobering, heartfelt look at the sometimes sudden onset of childhood homelessness and the hidden dangers of human trafficking. Mattie is fiercely resilient, Meg is charming, and though the mother is flawed-as most mothers are-one thing we never doubt is the love she has for her children. The ending is uplifting and
