This preliminary study of 20 contemporary realistic fiction books for youth, in middle school and above, analyzed images of poverty using a framework adapted from the work of Robert Leahy. Findings are related to demographics, images of poverty and emerging themes. Results indicate that, as a whole, the sample of books rely on concrete images of poverty yet do not adequately represent current demographics for people living in poverty in the United States. Suggestions are made for teachers, school librarians and media specialists to use these books with students. Appendices include coding categories adapted from Leahy, a list of selection sources for children's and young adult literature and a list of the fiction titles studied. (Contains 22 references.) (Author/MES)