Lullabies for Little Criminals is a gritty, heart-wrenching novel about bruised innocence on the city's feral streets. It marks the remarkable debut of a stunning literary talent, Heather O'Neill. This is a subtly understated yet searingly effective story of a young life on the streets—and the strength, wits, and luck necessary for survival.

At thirteen, Baby vacillates between childhood comforts and adult temptation: still young enough to drag her dolls around in a vinyl suitcase, yet old enough to know more than she should about urban cruelties. Motherless, she lives with her father, Jules, who takes better care of his heroin habit than he does of his daughter. Baby's gift is a genius for spinning stories and for cherishing the small crumbs of happiness that fall into her lap.

But her blossoming beauty has captured the attention of a charismatic and dangerous local pimp who runs an army of sad, slavishly devoted girls—a volatile situation even the normally oblivious Jules cannot ignore. And when an escape disguised as betrayal threatens to crush Baby's spirit, she will ultimately realize that the power of salvation rests in her hands alone.

Rusty-James is the toughest guy in the group of high-school kids who hang out and shoot pool down at Benny's. He enjoys keeping up his reputation. What he wants most of all is to be just like his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy. He wants to stay calm and laughing when things get dangerous, to be the toughest street fighter and the most respected guy on their side of the river.

Rusty-James isn't book-smart, and he knows it. He relies on his fists instead of his brains. Until now, he's gotten along all right, because whenever he gets into trouble, the Motorcycle Boy bails him out. But Rusty-James' drive to be like his brother eats away at his world—until it all comes apart in an explosive chain of events. And this time, the Motorcycle Boy isn't around to pick up the pieces.