Themes: Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Juvenile Correction, Rehabilitation, Obsession, Guns, Teen, Young Adult, Chapter Book, Hi-Lo, Hi-Lo Books, Hi-Lo Solutions, High-Low Books, Hi-Low Books, ELL, EL, ESL, Struggling Learner, Struggling Reader, Special Education, SPED, Newcomers, Reading, Learning, Education, Educational, Educational Books. Michael Ellis...typical American boy. A little on the geeky side. A good student. An athlete. But something is not quite right. "I like you because you're different." That's what Ashley had said to him. Different is better than being normal. Michael liked different. It was more interesting than following the crowd. But Ashley wasn't different. And she wasn't interested in dating Michael any longer. That's when Michael Ellis became unhinged. With Ashley's rejection, he does something shocking, and finds himself headed to juvenile detention. Hard-hitting, contemporary young adult fiction is not trendy–it's not dystopia. There are no vampires, no werewolves, no castles. It's real life. It's unflinching. Gravel Road highlights the talent of YA authors committed to creating realistic fiction with emotional authenticity. No topic is off-limits: suicide, homosexuality, drugs, rape, gangs, bullying. Teens live with this reality each day. And they find a way to survive. Each paperback book is 116 to 268 pages.