Simone tells authentic stories of teen life in the 'hood better than any other author currently writing contemporary YA street lit. --Library Journal on Teenage Love Affair (starred review) True story: I'm Gem, G-E-M, like a precious jewel, and my life has been nothing like my name. I've been on my own since I was nine and now I'm sixteen. But so what. I'm good, and so is my little brother. So why the state won't let us do our own thing is beyond me. Instead, we've been forced to live with a foster family who wants to love us, but I'm not beat--I'm just trying to do me. To make matters worse, I've been checking for this guy, Ny'eem. But my new clique has an unbreakable rule--no boyz allowed to come between our friendship--which is forcing me to keep my relationship with Ny'eem a secret. Though not for long. . .because in high school secrets are always exposed, scandals always rewrite the rules, and friendships are never what they seem. . . . "Excitement, drama, and life lessons. . .. Upgrade U is sure to be a classic." --A.J. Byrd, author of Losing Romeo "A new series with a pair of drama-fueled stories about girls looking for love in all the wrong ways." --Publishers Weekly on The Break-Up Diaries

Sixteen-year-old Gem and her little brother navigate their way through New Jersey's foster care system while Gem tries to hide her attraction to new boy Ny'eem from her friends, who have declared that no boys can come between their friendship.

After her father remarries and moves to another state, eleven-year-old Cassie declares war on all males, including her best friend Bobby. To make matters worse, Great-Uncle Harry moves in with them and soon discovers her secret. What's a girl to do?

For use in schools and libraries only. George loves to jump, so when he sees an announcement of a double-dutch contest, he wants to take part, even though the neighborhood girls tell him that boys aren't welcome.

Playbook.

Every girl dreams of being pretty on the outside, but what about the inside? No Boys Allowed gives girls a heart-and-soul makeover. Devotions like “Million Dollar Hair” offer them plenty to think about. No girl will look at her hairbrush quite the same when she finds out how much God cares about every part of her—even the hairs on her head! And the “Fun Factoids” section does the hair-counting for her.

A collection of poems in celebration of siblings.