"In personal profiles of ten families across the nation, from a Pacific Islander family in Hawaii to a homeless family in a wealthy New York City suburb, journalist Martha Shirk depicts the realities of life for children below the poverty line. She takes readers deep into the lives of families in poverty - lives sometimes marked by childhood abuse, parental loss, and long-term violence - and with each family explores their prospects for moving above the poverty threshold."--BOOK JACKET. "Neil G. Bennett, demographic research director for the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University (NCCP), shatters many commonly held stereotypes by analyzing Census Bureau data to show which American children are most likely to be poor."--BOOK JACKET. "J. Lawrence Aber, the director of NCCP and a nationally recognized expert in child development and social policy, describes the effects of poverty on child development and showcases proven strategies for preventing or reducing child poverty. He also shows us that it is in our national self-interest to address the problem of child poverty by making a smart investment in America's future."--BOOK JACKET.