New York Times bestselling author Michael Northrop captures the middle-school experience -- from the hurt to the hope -- in this powerful story of creativity in the face of cruelty.

Life for 12-year-old Ked Eakins isn't easy. The school bully is after him, a lump on his back has made him a social outcast, and his last remaining friend recently abandoned him. And then his dad gambles away their rent money. Just when it seems like he should just give up, Ked determines it's time to take his life back. But what seems like a good idea quickly lands him in deeper trouble. Now Ked's really on thin ice.Ked has his creativity, however, and the school's Maker Space provides him with a place to build. He just might be able to save his family from going under -- and make a few real friends while he's at it. This contemporary underdog tale about a unique middle schooler is Michael Northrop at his gritty, gripping, unflinching best. It is a powerful portrait of a failing factory town and the families who are being dragged down with it. Ultimately, On Thin Ice is about daring to create when your whole world is crumbling.