The fifth graders of PS 1 are packed like jelly beans into their classrooms. But when Ms. Hill shakes things up in a new class, the diverse group of inner-city kids in 5E find themselves writing like they didn't know they could. Giovanni, Maximo, Destiny, Willie, and the rest of their quirky classmates-with a little coaxing from Ms. Hill-learn to deal with their crazy lives through writing. Both hilarious and heart wrenching, this story is told by four voices as the members of 5E navigate their way through the chaos of growing up.