Six students are placed in the ARTT  (a room to talk) room by their teacher, Mrs. Laverne.  It’s a room without adults, a room where the six of them can talk about anything they want.  Haley narrates the story of Amari, Ashton, Esteban, Holly, Tiago, and herself.  Through their afternoons spent together, the six become close and soon trust each other enough to talk about tough issues and their insecurities. They discuss feelings and issues from Esteban’s father being sent to a detention center by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to bullying and racial profiling.  Each of the six has a gift to share with the rest of the group that brings strength to the others in the ARTT room. The stories they share with each other gather empathy and the group’s support.  Harbor Me is an example of the importance and power of friendship.

Jerome is a ghost.  The unarmed, twelve-year-old boy was shot and killed in a Chicago neighborhood vacant lot by a white police officer.  Now Jerome can only be seen by Sarah Moore, the young daughter of the officer who shot him.  Sarah discovers that her father made some serious mistakes the night Jerome was shot.  Jerome isn’t sure why he keeps hanging around his family, his friend Carlos, and Sarah, but with the help of the ghost of Emmett Till, he will learn what he needs to do to help others.

In her Pakastani village, Amal dreams of attending college and becoming a teacher.  So as the eldest daughter in her family of all daughters, Amal applies herself in all her lessons and always gives her best effort at school. She is Miss Sadia’s star pupil.  But when Amal insults the cruel area landlord, she finds herself in dire circumstances.  Because of this insult and the fact that her father owes the Khan family money, Amal must leave her family to work for the Khans. Her dreams of a bright future are slipping through her fingers.