As the story takes you through the days of Juvenile Hall, you are surrounded by the inmates, people that you would think are dangerous. Author Mark Salzman shows the reader that these inmates are just like you and me, they are people. They have feelings bottled up inside that they are not afraid to express through their writing. Because of this, the pieces of writing in this book are not only insightful, they are also true. So true, that a reader can see past each inmate's crime, and straight into their heart.