The Importance of Friendship

Having friends provides support that many people consider a vital part of life. Friendships happen in various ways and strengthen or wane for many reasons.

Mia and her parents take up residence at the Calivista Motel in Southern California during the previous novel of this series. By the time this novel picks up, Mia has been here long enough to have established a close friendship with a girl named Lupe. Since the girls attend the same school and neither has a close friend when they first connect, their friendship is partially by chance . Their personalities are complementary with Mia being the more outgoing while Lupe provides a calming influence. This friendship is important as a means of support for each other at school, but the girls spend a lot of time together outside of school. When Lupe's father is arrested by immigration officials...