Somebody Else's Children - John Hubner & Jill Wolfson

This is not on my summer reading list, but it caught my eye, and then held my interest. The authors are journalists who spent a year following the juvenile court of one judge in California. They were allowed access to records and to the families and children, and compiled a compelling story of several of the children seen in the court. The stories are heart-wrenching and illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of the system. I thought the account was balanced, yet realistic. The final chapter offers suggestions of what people can do to get involved, such as volunteer in the court system. I'm putting this on my keeper shelf!