Chasing Tail Lights

Christy is a high school senior in Flint, Michigan, who likes to spend her time sitting on a bridge over the freeway, getting high on pot, and "chasing tail lights". As she watches the cars pass below, she imagines they will take her to a better place, away from the crime, dispair, and the dysfunctional family that she is part of. The personal and social problems are thick here - from self-esteem to drugs and drinking to sexual abuse and incest; it is a challenging story for young adults. Written by Minnesota's Patrick Jones, it was a finalist for the 2008 Minnesota Book Award.