Increasingly alienated from his widowed father, Vernon joins his friends in ridiculing the neighborhood outcasts'Maxine, an alcoholic prone to outrageous behavior, and Ronald, her retarded son. But when a social service agency tries to put Ronald into a special home, Vernon fights against the move.

1994 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1994 (ALA)
1994 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
1994 Young Adult Editors' Choices (BL)
1994 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
Young Adult Choices for 1995 (IRA)...

Impetuous (Impy) Roach and his pals Shiny and Demo are pests. Or so the humans would have you think. They're young roaches, after all. The adult roaches don't seem to care much about their contributions either--at least not in important matters that concern the fate of their colony. But Pop's Diner, the roaches' only home for generations, is in danger of being shut down because of financial burdens, and Impy, Shiny, and Demo can't help but butt in. It's a good thing they do. The meddling of this tiny, pesky crew may just save the day in the end....