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I just wanted to write a quick post about another great new?novel that touches on the issue of runaway and homeless youth. Charles Bock's, "Beautiful Children," (published by Random House) focuses on the street culture of Las Vegas and debuted at No. 27 on the New York Times Best Seller list, quite an achievement for any author, let alone someone penning their first novel. The book centers around the disappearance of 12-year-old Newell Ewing. Bock doesn't duck punches on the issues surrounding youth who are forced to the streets -- dumpster diving for meals, drug use etc. -- and brings in a wealth of characters to show the not-so-glitzy side of Sin City that tourists rarely see.

Critical praise is piling up as The New York Times, USA Today and Newsweek, among others, have all written glowing reviews. If you visit the book's Web site by Feb. 29 you can download "Beautiful Children" for free in its ENTIRETY. If you don't make it to the site in time to download the entire book, you can still read the first chapter here.

The release of "Beautiful Children" comes on the heels of Jessica Blank's debut young adult novel "Almost Home" (Hyperion Books for Children) that focuses on seven homeless teens in L.A. living together in a makeshift family (Full disclosure: Blank serves on the board of directors for National Safe Place). "Almost Home" came out in October with the first chapter available on the National Safe Place Web site.

Both books offer a poignant look at youth in crisis, but also offer solutions with resource sections that include links to national runaway and homeless youth organizations such as the National Runaway Switchboard, Covenant House and National Safe Place. "Almost Home" is already being fast-tracked for the big screen after rock star/homeless advocate Jon Bon Jovi purchased the film rights and plans to make it his first movie project from behind the camera.

These two books, coupled with other efforts in the past year such as Virgin Mobile's "Homeless Youth Among Us" campaign with singer Jewel as a spokeswoman, have significantly raised the profile of runaway and homeless youth. This added exposure couldn't come at a better time with Congress set to consider reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act in the coming weeks.