Chicago youth have many stories to tell about their city. As you will soon see, their neighborhoods are rich with history and memories. Listen as they talk about where they feel most at home, struggles their city faces, and what makes Chicago so beautiful.

— Simon Traub-Epstein, International Library of Young Authors

From the student foreword: “In this book, there are many different points of view. They get you thinking. Keeping an open mind when reading our work will help you with connecting and understanding our points of view. Sometimes it can be easier for people to write things down than say them in person. When you write, you feel more like yourself. It's a comforting feeling, you know? Writing kind of solved our issues with learning how to love ourselves, understanding ourselves better, and helping others understand us. Anyone can be a writer.”