James Bird

Of the many, many criminals who end up on death row, Michael Ross's situation is one of the most complex. Some reluctant guests of the row are vicious and wicked, men and women filled with pure evil. Others are innocent. These are victims of a system which is far from fool proof and frequently driven by political expediency as much as a search for justice. And some people are killers despite themselves, criminals in need of help as well as punishment....

Collin can't help himself--he has a unique condition that leads him to count every letter spoken to him. It's a quirk that makes him a prime target for bullies and a continual frustration to the adults around him, including his father. When Collin is asked to leave yet another school, his dad decides to send him to live in Minnesota with the mother he's never met. She is Ojibwe and lives on a reservation. Collin arrives in Duluth with his loyal dog,...