The Other Mother

Thirteen-year-old Michael Parsons keeps a list of his problems: He hates his stepfather; he’s always getting in trouble at school; he is practically the sole caregiver for his two younger siblings; he has a secret he can’t share with anyone; and now his mother has been replaced by another mother. When no one else in his family recognizes that his real mother is missing, Michael takes it upon himself to find out the truth. This is not a missing-persons case, though; it’s a severe psychological break that occurs when a young man is forced to carry emotional baggage that would be difficult for someone twice his age. Luckily, Michael has a caring school psychologist and an understanding new friend who will help him begin to unburden himself of his secrets and find the mother for whom he is so desperately searching.