In 1886 in Alabama, an eleven-year-old African American girl and her family befriend and give refuge to a runaway Apache boy.

What kid hasn't wanted to make their parents feel sorry for treating him badly? And how better to accomplish this than to run away? Here's a guide showing how, from what to pack (gum--then you won't have to brush your teeth) to how to survive (don't think about your cozy bed). Ultimately, though, readers will see that there really is no place like home. Like Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, here's a spot-on portrait of a kid who's had it. And like Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, it's also a journey inside a creative kid's imagination: that special place where parents aren't allowed without permission.

A middle class, Midwestern family in search of meaning uproot themselves and move to their ancestral village in Croatia. "We can look at this in two ways," Jim wrote, always the pragmatist. "We can panic and scrap the whole idea. Or we can take this as a sign. They're saying the economy is going to get worse before it gets better. Maybe this is the kick in the pants we needed to do something completely different. There will always be an excuse not to go..." And that, friends, is how a typically sane middle-aged mother decided to drag her family back to a forlorn mountain village in the backwoods of Croatia. So begins author Jennifer Wilson's journey in Running Away to Home. Jen, her architect husband, Jim, and their two children had been living the typical soccer- and ballet-practice life in the most Middle American of places: Des Moines, Iowa. They overindulged themselves and their kids, and as a family they were losing one another in the rush of work, school, and activities. One day, Jen and her husband looked at each other–both holding their Starbucks coffee as they headed out to their SUV in the mall parking lot, while the kids complained about the inferiority of the toys they just got–and asked themselves: "Is this the American dream? Because if it is, it sort of sucks." Jim and Jen had always dreamed of taking a family sabbatical in another country, so when they lost half their savings in the stock-market crash, it seemed like just a crazy enough time to do it. High on wanderlust, they left the troubled landscape of contemporary America for the Croatian mountain village of Mrkopalj, the land of Jennifer's ancestors. It was a village that seemed hermetically sealed for the last one hundred years, with a population of eight hundred (mostly drunken) residents and a herd of sheep milling around the post office. For several months they lived like locals, from milking the neighbor's cows to eating roasted pig on a spit to desperately seeking the village recipe for bootleg liquor. As the Wilson-Hoff family struggled to stay sane (and warm), what they found was much deeper and bigger than themselves.

Perhaps you've dreamed of escaping the stress of your everyday routine by taking a year off to explore the world with your loved ones. Maybe you've thought about changing your life - getting out of the rat race - but dismissed it as impossible. Well it's not. The Dailey family did it. Now your family can also. When Adam Dailey put his professional life on hold and took a twelve month "family sabbatical," the future of his business was uncertain. But instead of waiting for a "right time" that would never come, Adam, his wife, and their four children set off on an epic trek across Latin America, Australia, Asia, and Europe that brought the family closer together than ever before. At once a fascinating memoir of a life-altering adventure and an essential how-to guide, this volume supplies all the information you'll need for your own successful family sabbatical-from how to plan and finance it to schooling on the road to dealing with the unexpected and managing obligations back home. There are risks, but the rewards are enormous. All it takes is spontaneity, flexibility, and the courage to take the leap!

Can love find a home for a runaway cowboy and the Amish woman he left behind? Noah Detweiler thought he’d left his Amish life forever. After years on the Albertan prairie as a cowboy, he’s finally found peace with God and purpose at Second Chance Ranch working with special needs children. But when he discovers time is running out for any hope of reconciliation with his father, Noah is forced to revisit his past and the woman he left behind. Rachel Erb remains content with Amish life on Prince Edward Island by focusing on her faith and her job caring for animals—until Noah returns and the secret longings of her heart are exposed. But loving Noah is destined to break her heart again—no matter what she chooses. A future together seems as far out of reach as it ever has been for Noah and Rachel. Their dreams won’t be realized without sacrifice. Only who will pay the cost? Endorsements Amy Grochowski brings us another uplifting Amish story set against the beautiful backdrop of Prince Edward Island! I was swept up in this tale of family forgiveness, hard-won redemption, and a broken romance just begging to be mended. These true-to-life characters face difficult choices and soul-deep dilemmas, but as they follow their faith—and their hearts—old sorrows are washed away by new joy. The world needs more stories like Runaway Home! —Laurel Blount Carol Award Winner and Author of Shelter in the Storm This book touched my heartstrings and reminded me that in order to find forgiveness and love, one must first find God. When Noah begins to put God first, everything else seems to fall into place. A beautiful reminder set in a lovely location and written by a gifted writer. I know you will love it! —Lenora Worth NY Times, USA Today, and PW bestselling author

Can a girl get an abortion in Texas without her parent's consent? Are parents liable for damages when their teenager crashes the family car into a neighbor's Mercedes? What happens when grandparents help a noncustodial parent hide a child from the parent with legal custody? Ramona John tells it like it is in this non-lawyer's guide to all areas of Texas law affecting children. Using layman's language and a quick-reference, question-and-answer format, she offers expert advice about dealing with lawyers and judges and about using the law to protect and serve children. Texas parents, grandparents, teachers, and health care and social service providers will find this an authoritative guide to their legal rights and responsibilities regarding children.