As the cost of housing and inflation continues to rise families across the U.S. are struggling to make ends meet, especially here in Idaho.

According to The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Idaho was ranked as one of the states with the highest percentage of unsheltered families. These realities can be hard to cope with and even harder to explain to your kid.

A local author, Chad Otis, has written a new book called "The Bright Side" opening up the conversation around important topics like housing insecurity, food insecurity and socioeconomic differences, while also finding the good in things. Otis joined Idaho Matters to talk more about his upcoming book.