Everyone in Timber Falls knows that his family is trash, and sometimes Harry White thinks he'll always be trash. But he can't help getting angry. After all, what had he and his sister, Helen, ever done to anybody? When he discovers the local carpet factory is polluting the river, he comes up with a bold expos?® that, if he is successful, will make people sit up and show him respect. He wants to do it alone even though he knows he's asking for trouble. As trash, Harry's got nothing to lose. Or does he?

Gripping, disturbing, and exhilarating,When the Stars Begin to Fall reveals the hidden forces that conspire against well-meaning innocents. Harry's desire to change himself and society is so powerful, his voice so direct and real, that listeners won't forget his struggle for dignity. In this striking departure from the historical novels he is so well known for, James Lincoln Collier has written a powerful-even shocking-novel that challenges and defies the rhetoric of contemporary America.

James Lincoln Collier has written many books for children, includingGive Dad My Best andPlanet out of the Past. He has also contributed more than five hundred articles to theNew York Times Magazine,Reader's Digest, andBoy's Life. His honors include the Kidger Prize for Teaching, the Jane Addams Peace Prize, and the Newbery Honor.