Children of the County
Set in a fading agricultural county in the American Midwest, *Children of the County* follows three teens—Lila, a farm girl with dreams of becoming a large-animal vet; Jax, a star athlete trapped by his family’s mounting debt; and Mia, a first-gen Latina teen raising her younger brother while her parents work two jobs. Over their senior year of high school, these kids navigate underfunded schools, limited job prospects, and the quiet pressure of small-town expectations that box them into predetermined paths. Blending intimate interviews with vivid narrative, author Lin Xiaoying pulls back the curtain on the often-overlooked struggles of rural youth, highlighting how they lean on each other to chase their goals, confront systemic barriers, and redefine what success means in a place where the future feels uncertain. This book isn’t just a story of hardship; it’s a celebration of resilience, community, and the quiet courage of kids who refuse to let their zip code define their destiny.