Gr 6-8–Aside from being a nervous wreck and hypochondriac, 12-year-old Frankie thinks his life in New Zealand is pretty normal. He and his friend Gigs love cricket, swimming, and making up their own language. When a new girl enters his class, though, he begins to question everything. Sydney is a carefree soul who has been in 22 schools because her mother moves a lot. She is loud, doesn't care what others think of her, and is constantly asking questions. As he gets to know her, Frankie learns that Sydney's mother may be a prostitute who leaves Sydney oftentimes alone to care for her younger siblings. This infuriates him and also forces him to think about his own unusual home life, which includes his mother having not left the house in nine years. The book is highly descriptive and a great deal of it is made up of Frankie's memories, which establish his character and give readers insight into his life.
