I wanted to read this since I’m a high school counselor and my students face addictions of their own as well as within their family daily but after I requested I was alerted that it didn’t support the kindle formatting so I was unable to read :( I think this is a very relevant topic that needs to be spoken about more openly in ways that teens can relate to so they can seek out the support and help that they need instead of living with the pressure of the secrets of their family which often becomes harmful to their own ability to succeed.

My Overall Rating: 2.65 / 5

The introduction to this novel was written by children's author, Robert Munsch and it was quite surprising. This is an author I grew up reading, and I attribute my love of stories to. Reading that he struggled with drug and alcohol addictions struck closer to me than any of the other stories because it felt close to home in a way.

This was a short and very quick read, bringing together ten different stories of people who had family struggle with addiction. There was a strong topic displayed, but not much of a resolution. I didn't feel any great epiphany or come away from this feeling like I gained something. Each story ended up blending into the next and just ended up getting very repetitive.

Overall, this was alright. If you are looking for something with a darker tone, but also has a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" vibe, this might work for you.

I rated each of the ten stories individually, and you can find them below:

- Every Emotion Counts: 3.5 stars
- Learning to Forgive: 3 stars
- A Tough Road: 4 stars
- Nothing to Do With Me: 2 stars
- No Reason to Be Ashamed: 4 stars
- We Were Dealt the Same Hand: 2.5 stars
- Who's My Real Dad?: 1 star
- She Thought We Were Beautiful: 2 stars
- Legal, but Not Okay: 2 stars
- I've Inherited the Good Stuff: 2.5 stars

This was an interesting set of short stories. I found them to be realistic and well-written. An excellent classroom resource.