This selection comes from a young adult novel titled Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn, first published in 2002. The narrative follows Cyd Charisse, a teenager recounting her experiences, including her return home to San Francisco after boarding school, her relationship with her boyfriend Shrimp and his family, and her complicated interactions with her parents and half-siblings. It also explores her trip to New York City to meet her biological father and his other children, as well as her past struggles and her imaginative ideas for a future "commune."