Dairy Queen — Catherine Gilbert Murdock

WHEN YOU DON'T TALK,
there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.

Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But D.J. Schwenk can't help admitting to herself that maybe he's right. Because it's obvious that no one is talking about why D.J.'s best friend, Amber, isn't so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Or why her mom has two jobs and a big secret, or why her college-football-star brothers won't even call home nowadays. And certainly no one is talking about how D.J.'s dad would go ballistic on her if she tried out for the football team. There's definitely a lot not being said. And that's not even mentioning the many reasons that Brian Nelson is so out of D.J.'s league.

WHEN YOU DON'T TALK,
there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.

Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D.J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.