In order to heal after his mother's death, thirteen-year-old Sal learns to reach into time and space to retrieve things--and people--from other universes.

"When best friends Sal and Gabi try to repair the damage they created when they altered the universe to help their families, they end up creating even more chaos"--

While visiting her abuelo in Cuba, a young girl helps him sell frutas, singing the name of each fruit as they walk, and after she returns to the United States, they exchange letters made of abrazos--hugs. Includes historical and cultural notes.

Sophie's friendship fiasco: When Sophie's efforts to protect her friends from a group of mean-spirited popular girls lead to misunderstandings at home and at school, she turns to Jesus for help. Sophie and the new girl: As the Corn Flakes and other members of the Film Club work on a school project about Cuban refugees in the 1980s, a newcomer's prejudices hurt Maggie and challenge Sophie's ability to understand and practice Jesus' teachings.

For Merci Suarez, eighth grade means a new haircut, nighttime football games, and an out-of-town overnight field trip. At home, it means more chores and keeping an eye on Lolo as his health worsens. It's a year filled with more responsibility and independence, but also with opportunities to reinvent herself. Merci has always been fine with not being one of the popular kids like Avery Sanders, who will probably be the soccer captain and is always traveling...