Authors Riley Campbell, London Jones, and Shirelle Hurt join with illustrator Joy Ingram to present a short story on the importance of respect. In Man Up!, Aaron faces bullying when he shows emotion and must seek help from his friends and family for support.

— Simon Traub-Epstein, International Library of Young Authors

From the publisher: “Aaron is outgoing and funny and a whiz at kickball. He’s also compassionate and kind, reading books at the old folks home down H street. Basically, he’s pretty great. But he’s got a problem: everyone calls him a Crybaby. When his friends cheat at Forknife, he cries out of anger. When he sees his friend Tayshawn hurt a neighborhood dog, he cries out of empathy. And when misses his oldest brother, Sage, who’s away at college, he cries out of loneliness. His dad, his friends, and his classmates tell him to “Leave that crying for the girls.” How can Aaron learn to value his feelings and nurture his sensitivity in a world telling him to “Man up”?”