There Are No Children Here is a biography by Alex Kotlowitz about two brothers, Lafeyette and Pharoah, living in a housing project in Chicago. The book follows the children of LaJoe and her absent drug-addicted husband, Paul, as they struggle to live in poverty amongst gangs, drugs and violence. From a young age, the children are denied their innocence as they experience the oppression of inner-city poverty. The book presents a stark view of urban America and suggests that without any opportunities, human potential is squandered in these situations.