Dirty Windows Don't Open

A teen who’s always lived under the weight of poverty wonders if she dares hope for more in this emotional coming-of-age novel perfect for fans of All the Bright Places and You’ve Reached Sam.

Harper’s life is grueling. She is ostracized at school, her mother works three jobs that don’t quite pay enough to reliably put food on the table, and her own thankless job at a sandwich shop barely helps her family make ends meet. Harper knows the truth: no amount of hard work or good luck can lift you out of soul-crushing poverty—this is all she’s ever going to get. Worst of all, her older brother, Jett, went missing without a trace a few months ago. Nobody knows where he is or if he’s alive, and Harper feels terrified for him every day.

Then Harper gets paired with Jett’s charming friend Asa on a group project. As they get to know each other, a friendship takes root—the kind of friendship that changes things. At the same time, Harper’s school counselor keeps encouraging her to dream bigger and apply to colleges. Maybe someday, Harper can have something different than what she has now.

But hope is dangerous because it could lead to disappointment. Harper has always had to save her family from hunger and her brother from mental illness. Could the future really hold something different, and is it worth taking a leap if it means risking a fall?